Indian batsman Sanju Samson in action during the T20 cricket match between Zimbabwe and India at the Harare Sports club, in Harare, Sunday, July 14, 2024.
PTI
Harare: Sanju Samson powered his way to a 45-ball 58 but Zimbabwe managed to curb India to a par 167 for six in the fifth and final T20I here on Sunday.
India had taken an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series with a commanding 10-wicket win over the African side on Saturday.
Samson (58, 45b, 1x4, 4x6) and Riyan Parag (22, 24b) added 65 runs for the fourth wicket as India recovered from a middling Power Play in which they scored 44 for three after being asked to bat first.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (12), who made a fine unbeaten 93 in the fourth T20I, started the proceedings with two sixes in the first two balls of the innings bowled by Sikandar Raza.
But in the fourth ball of the same over, Jaiswal played the wrong line to a delivery on the middle and leg stump to get bowled.
Abhishek Sharma, who was dropped on 10 by Brian Bennett off Blessing Muzarabani, did not last long, edging the pacer two balls later to Clive Madande behind the wicket.
Skipper Shubman Gill, who received a reprieve on 11, was never in his fluent self on this day and smashed left-arm seamer Richard Ngarava straight into the hands of Raza in the deep.
At 44 for three, India needed a partnership to steady the innings. Samson and Parag provided just that.
Their alliance was all about prudence than theatrics, choosing the correct delivery to punish.
It was the right approach too considering the pitch was not precisely a belter as it was in the previous two matches, offering a hint of turn.
However, Samson showed his aggressive side when the opportunity presented itself.
He biffed leg-spinner Brandon Mavuto for two sixes in a row and the second shot was an outstanding piece of work.
Mavuto angled the ball into Samson’s leg-stump, but the right-hander gave himself enough space to carve that over extra cover for a maximum.
Samson brought up his fifty in 39 balls, his second in T20Is, but Parag departed as India were looking for some late acceleration.
The right-hander perished to Mavuto while looking to clear the fence, and Samson too could not carry till the end of the innings.
He wanted to take on Muzarabani, the most impressive among home side bowlers, but ended up giving a catch to a tumbling Tadiwanashe Marumani.
The tourists found some late steam through Shivam Dube (26, 12b, 2x4, 2x6).