Three unforgettable Zimbabwe vs India encounters - From Tendulkar's revenge to Marillier's scoops

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  • The best of Zimbabwe-India contests.

    The 1990s was widely considered to be the golden era of Zimbabwean cricket as they boasted of cricketers of high calibre like captain Alistair Campbell, the Flower brothers and a young Heath Streak. India, on the other hand, had a strong batting line-up in Sachin Tendulkar, Mohammad Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja and Robin Singh.

    When the two teams locked horns, they produced some memorable encounters replete with nail-biting finishes. With India’s tour to Zimbabwe about to kick off tomorrow, we take a look back at three such unforgettable matches from the past.

    3RD ODI, STANDARD BANK INTERNATIONAL SERIES, PAARL ’97

    One of the most definitive India-Zimbabwe clashes took place during the Standard Bank International ODI tri-series in 1997 featuring South Africa, India and Zimbabwe. The game played out in the backdrop of a momentous occasion for the people of Paarl – the Boland Bank Park stadium was hosting its first ever cricket match.

    Riding on healthy contributions of 61 and 47 from Alistair Campbell and Paul Strang, Zimbabwe posted a total of 236 on the board. While chasing, India were quickly put on the back foot after losing opener Tendulkar, Javagal Srinath, who was sent in as a pinch hitter at number three and skipper Azharuddin.

    Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid tried to put up a fight but when they were dismissed, India were reeling at 110 for 5. Jadeja and Saba Karim stitched together a valuable partnership of 56 but after the duo’s departure, with the score reading 176 for 7 in the 44th over, it looked all over for India.

    Even as India kept losing wickets at the other end, Robin Singh stood tall, playing an aggressive, counter-attacking innings of 48 from 31 balls. With two runs required off the last delivery and with just one wicket in hand, Eddo Brandes bowled a wide down the leg side. Anxious to seal the game, the Indians went for a bye and Singh was run out resulting in the match ending in a tie.

    Brandes was adjudged the Man of the Match for his figures of 5 for 41.

    FINAL, COCA-COLA CHAMPIONS TROPHY, SHARJAH ’98

    Sri Lanka having already been knocked out of the Coca-Cola Champions Trophy tri-series at Sharjah in 1998, in a way ensured that India and Zimbabwe faced off in an inconsequential match before the final.

    In that game, Zimbabwe’s Henry Olonga bowled with pace and passion, troubling all Indian batsmen during their chase of 206, ending with figures of 4/46. His four wickets included the prized scalp of the Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar who, surprised by Olonga’s pace, fell to the pacer playing an unusual shot.

    The dismissal provoked joyous celebration from Olonga which Tendulkar didn’t find amusing – what would have affected him more was that India eventually got skittled out for 192, handing Zimbabwe an unlikely win.

    As India took on Zimbabwe in the final, it was already being touted as a battle between Olonga and Tendulkar. And the Little Master did not fail to deliver when he came out to chase down Zimbabwe’s modest target of 196.

    Olonga tried to outplay the Indian batsman by using his raw pace, but he ended up giving too much room outside off. Tendulkar in return, punished him by playing ferocious cuts and square-drives. When Olonga tried bowling full, Tendulkar did not hesitate to take the aerial route, lifting him for maximums over mid-off. The Mumbai batsman eventually brought on his 21st ODI century in that match, scoring 124 off 92 balls.

    His parter at the other end, Sourav Ganguly hit three towering sixes that ended up on the roof of the stadium. The southpaw remained unbeaten on 63 off 90 balls as India chased down the total easily in 30 overs with all ten wickets to spare.

    Olonga’s figures took a battering and he finished with match figures of 50 runs from 6 overs – a stark contrast to what he was able to achieve a few days previously.

    1ST ODI, ZIMBABWE’S TOUR OF INDIA, FARIDABAD ’02

    When one thinks of outrageous scoops that have become a hallmark of T20 cricket, the names of AB de Villiers, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Glenn Maxwell come to mind. But a handful of dedicated cricket fans would remember that the man who first popularized the shot was none other than Zimbabwe’s Douglas Marillier.

    During Zimbabwe’s tour of India in 2002, in the first ODI of the series at Faridabad, India posted a formidable total of 274 on the board. VVS Laxman top-scored with 75 and Ajit Agarkar with his cameo of 40 off 19 balls provided some late thrust to the innings.

    In reply, Zimbabwe got off to a shaky start losing opener Craig Wishart and pinch-hitter Travis Friend. Alistair Campbell and Andy Flower then strung together a good partnership but after they got out, Zimbabwe lost their way in the middle of the innings.

    When the Zimbabwean number ten batsman walked out to bat, his team was tottering at 210 for 8 in the 45th over. With 65 required off 30 balls, considered nearly impossible back then, the match seemed to be as good as over.

    Marillier however had other plans as he unleashed a wide array of strokes which included spanking cover drives and fortuitous cuts for boundaries through the third-man region. Marillier and Tatenda Taibu put on 42 runs in just 3.2 overs after which a bad umpiring decision sent the latter back to the pavilion.

    But Marillier kept batting, having a go at the bowlers as he almost single-handedly knocked off the 23 runs required off the last two overs. He was particularly harsh on Zaheer Khan – a bowler who was in great form having picked up four wickets in that match – continuously walking across his stumps to scoop the ball over the wicket-keeper’s head.

    The ramp shot, which was a revelation back then, stunned the Indians as they were left with no idea about how to stop Marillier. He then hit Anil Kumble for two fours in the 50th over to seal a miraculous victory.

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