On this day in 2015: India survive against Zimbabwe in a thriller

Team India has won many last encounters against some of the top teams in the cricketing arena. However, the Men in Blue were taken to their limits by Zimbabwe as the visitors won the match by a margin of just four runs during an ODI match in 2015.

Team India was taking on the home team during the first ODI encounter at Harare on July 10, 2015. The home team won the toss and opted to have a bowl first. Zimbabwe got some early success as opener Murali Vijay was sent back to the pavilion very soon. Senior batter Ajinkya Rahane and Talented batter Ambati Rayudu then stitched a vital partnership as the Men in Blue bounced back strongly in the match.

However, the visitors kept losing wickets at regular intervals with Rayudu standing at the other end. Batters Manoj Tiwary, Robin Uthappa, and Kedar Jadhav did not manage to give any vital contribution but Ambati Rayudu stroked 124 runs as India somehow managed to cross the 250-run mark.

In reply, several Zimbabwe batters gave some short but vital contributions with the bat. Senior batter Elton Chigumbura was batting in full might as the skipper played a superlative knock of 104* in just 101 balls. The right-handed batter also stroked eight fours and one maximum in the innings.

The Men in Blue somehow managed to restrict the home team as Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Stuart Binny, Harbhajan Singh, and Axar Patel took some crucial wickets for their team. Notably, Zimbabwe needed 10 runs in the last over to win the contest with their star batter and skipper of the side Chigumbura still at the crease. But, somehow a spirited bowling effort from the Men in Blue ensured that India have a perfect start to the ODI series.