Dominant India demolish Zimbabwe in first ODI in Harare

A cakewalk!

Hosts Zimbabwe were just no match for Team India as the visitors romped home by 10 wickets in the first ODI in Harare. KL Rahul's decision to bowl first paid dividends as Zimbabwe were put under the pump right from the word go.

Deepak Chahar, who was making a return to international cricket after a prolonged injury absence, wreaked havoc in his opening spell. His 3/27 reduced Zimbabwe to 31/4 in just the 11th over. Prasidh Krishna & Axar Patel then made the hosts' life even more difficult, and at one stage Zimbabwe were tottering at 110/8. A 70-run 9th wicket stand though did provide a semblance of respectability and eventually, the home side finished with 189.

In reply, openers Shikhar Dhawan & Shubman Gill were circumspect at the start. And while they did take their time to get going, each of them finished with unbeaten scores of 80+ to give India a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series.

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