Zimbabwe and India will play the fifth and last match of the five-match bilateral series 2013 that kicked off on 24 July. The match will be played at Queens Sports Club on Saturday.
The match will start at 01:30 PM IST on Saturday and it will be broadcast live in India on Ten Cricket.
Overview:
Saturday's game is a dead rubber with India having clinched the series convincingly by winning all the four matches played but it is an important contest for Zimbabweans, as they will try to end the series on a winning note. Their coach Andy Waller had said before the start of the series that his team would try to win at least a game, and they will be keen to do just that on Saturday.
India will come into the contest after four back-to-back victories and they will be high on confidence. They outplayed the hosts in all departments despite the absence of some key players including regular skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. They will be looking forward to clean sweep the series by winning the fifth and last ODI.
Previous Meetings:
India have 43-10 win-loss record against Zimbabwe in 55 meetings, out of which two were tied. India defeated Zimbabwe in the last four matches played in the series.
Team News:
Zimbabwe: Elton Chigumbura (50) and Malcolm Waller (35) were the main contributors in the fourth ODI. Their batting crisis continues with the top-order failing to contribute with their bats. They will rely heavily on Chigumbura, Sikandar Raza, Visu Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza to score in the last ODI and retrieve their lost pride this series.
Poor form continues in the bowling department too. Tendai Chatara was the only wicket taker in the previous match. They took only three wickets in the third ODI too. They need to take wickets at regular intervals to stop India from scoring big.
India: Ajinkya Rahane, who has been warning the bench in the series, might be given a chance to play on Saturday by resting one of the batsmen. Cheteshwar Pujara was introduced in the previous but he fell for 13. It was Rohit Sharma (64) and Suresh Raina (65) who chased down a low total with ease in the previous match.
On the bowling front, Amit Mishra took three wickets while Mohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja took two wickets apiece in the previous match. Sharma bagged the Man of the Match award for his figures of 26/2, becoming the second Indian player to receive the award on debut in ODI. All-rounder Parveez Rasool is likely to be introduced on Saturday, and if it happens, he will become the first cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to play for India in ODI.
Prediction:
Zimbabwe will try to win the last ODI but India look formidable and will remain the favourite to win.
Squads:
Zimbabwe: Brendan Taylor (c), Sikandar Raza, Tendai Chatara, Michael Chinouya, Elton Chigumbura, Graeme Cremer, Kyle Jarvis, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Natsai M'shangwe, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Prosper Utseya, Brian Vitori, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams
India: Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik, Cheteshwar Pujara, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Parveez Rasool, Shami Ahmed, R Vinay Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohit Sharma
