A century from Yuvraj Singh helped India to a four-wicket victory with 11 balls to spare in the triangular series one-day match against Zimbabwe on Sunday. After India had collapsed to 36-4, Yuvraj smashed 120 off 124 deliveries to help the visitors reach 255-6 in reply to Zimbabwe’s 250 all out. Yuvraj struck 12 fours and a six over long-on. With India already assured a place in Tuesday’s final against New Zealand, they decided to experiment with their line-up but only Virender Sehwag (12) among their top four batsmen managed to reach double figures. India were struggling on 34-3 when Yuvraj came to the crease and they slipped into further trouble an over later when Mohammad Kaif was trapped lbw by an Andy Blignaut delivery that nipped back into him. Yuvraj steadily accumulated runs, initially putting on 55 off 91 deliveries for the fifth wicket with Venugopal Rao (27). Yuvraj was then joined by wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni, who played positively from the start. The pair reeled in the almost all the required runs with a sixth-wicket stand of 158 off just 140 balls. The big-hitting Dhoni finished 67 not out, lofting three sixes. Zimbabwe earlier piled up their highest score of the series despite the absence of Heath Streak, who decided to miss the match to rest a left knee injury. The home side were led by half-centuries by captain Tatenda Taibu (71) and Charles Coventry (74), with all-rounder Andy Blignaut (41) adding valuable runs in the closing overs. Taibu and Coventry took the centrestage and went about carting the bowling to all parts of the ground. Taibu smashed Harbhajan Singh for a straight six and then smote JP Yadav over midwicket as he raced to his half century in the 25th over at the total 108-3. He was completely contemptuous of Sourav Ganguly when he brought himself on to attack, smashing the Indian captain for a string of fours and 15 runs in his first over. The pair also savaged left-arm spinner Murali Kartik and Yadav who conceded 52 and 44 runs from nine overs each. Taibu finally departed at 166-4 when he couldn’t connect a pull off a short delivery from Yadav. His 71 took him 97 balls and contained five fours and two sixes. Coventry reached his half-century soon thereafter when he steered Kartik to the offside for a single in the 38th over at the total 167-4. He soon hoisted the 200 of the innings with a straight six off Agarkar in the 42nd over. But it was Agarkar who accounted for him in the 45th over, Coventry holing out at long-on after making 74 from 99 balls with seven fours and three sixes. Blignaut fell in the next over after smashing six fours and a six in his blistering knock and putting on 61 runs from 46 balls with Coventry for the fifth wicket. Ajit Agarkar finished with 3-34, claiming the last two wickets with excellent dipping yorkers. SCOREBOARD
