Zimbabwe vs India, 3rd ODI at Harare, ZIM v IND, Aug 22 2022 - Ball by Ball Commentary

5:50pm The victorious India pose for some picture behind the board that reads CHAMPIONS! Youngsters like Shahbaz Ahmed, Rahul Tripathi have the trophy in hand and are in the middle of it and the smiles say it all. It has been a clinical performance from the tourists and despite being tested today by the humdinger, they came out with flying colours.

Vishal's report is already up here if you need to recap it all. Keep an eye for the post-match/series pieces from Sidharth Monga on the series page as well. That's all from us for this series. Hope you enjoyed our coverage as much as we did in bringing it all across. For now, on behalf of Thilak Rama and Vishal, this is me, Sudarshanan, bidding you adieu! Take care, stay safe! Ciao!

Bala: "Gill with his consistent approach in two series has been the Man of the Series in both. A great talent and potential for the future. He should be nurtured to take the crucial No.4 slot in all formats when time demands him to enter the fray."

5:38pm Time for the presentation.

For his magnificent ton and a superb catch at the end, the player of the match is Shubman Gill: "I was just trying to minimise my dot-ball percentage. I just tried to time the ball and not hit it hard. [On targeting bowlers] Raza, Evans were bowling well and it was crucial to target the bowlers. The bat was pretty good and that's why I changed it after my fifty as I wanted to save it. Always special to get a hundred, I had made three nineties but wanted to get a century."

Player of thee series, Shubman Gill again for his 245 runs: "It's a great bunch of players and I have been playing with them for sometime now. This one is for my dad as he has been my primary coach. I got a bit of schooling day before yesterday when I was out on 33. So this is for him."

Regis Chakabva, Zimbabwe captain: "Firstly congratulations to India, I thought they played well. India held their nerves even though Sikandar and Evans gave us the chance. Huge positives today from the bowling. The boys fought really hard on the field. We talk about coming back from tough situations and Raza was brilliant. We definitely take lot of positives and look at those things down under."

KL Rahul, India captain: "We came here with a few ideas and wanted to use these games. A few of us haven't got a game for some time and wanted to use the time. We were very professional with how we played. I wouldn't say nervous but Raza and Evans took it deep. But it is good that we were challenged and the bowlers were tested. I have fielded for about 150 overs and the body feels good. Will use this confidence for the next series. [On Gill] He has batted well throughout the series and did well in West Indies and the IPL. Pleasing to the eye when he bats and good to see him use his form and score runs and good to see his composure and to show the temperament despite not having played a lot of internationals."

Mustafa Moudi : "2 Important lesson from this series - Just Chill, if you have Gill and No Raza No Maza (fun) !!"

JOYDEEPSINGHGIL: "With brad Evans wicket by Avesh win india this match that wicket was the turning point "

5:22pm Tell me you have fingernails left after what we've just witnessed and I'd believe you! Shubman Gill, Brad Evans, Sikandar Raza - we had one act of magnificence over the other lined up. And a fantastic thrilling game to top it all! What is this Raza made of? Zimbabwe were down and out when they lost half their side with not even halfway through. Burl then fell miscuing one to mid-on. But in Evans - who earlier picked up his maiden ODI five-for - Raza found an ally for 104 runs that helped Zimbabwe think the impossible. Raza kept at it despite Evans falling.

And eventually, it needed a stunning catch from Gill - who earlier scored a maiden ODI hundred - for India to see the back of Raza. A classic back-to-the-beginning kind of a match to use a writing parlance. The scoreline will say 3-0 India but the third win was far from being easy.

Two days, two nail-biters. Netherlands almost got over the line against Pakistan yesterday. Zimbabwe almost did that today. Superb match to cap off the series.

Shiv: "Reminds me of the great 1987 WC game, Zim VS NZ. The current coach Dave Houghton played one of the best innings ever in a WC, Ian Butchart like Evans supporter him, and like today, ended few runs short"

Jonathan Dsouza: "Makes one wonder - how much of India's first 2 victories were on account of the advantage of bowling first?"

Sharan: "and THIS is why you need ODI cricket. 7 down in a T20 and match is over because you need 1-2 good overs to close it out, but in an ODI it allows you time for comebacks and the team in front has to keep playing good cricket. In T20s, a 3-4 over period with the bat/ball and the game is done. Tests, ODIs and T20s thats the right order. There, I said it "

Harish : "Extraordinary innings came to an end with extraordinary catch !!"

Fifteen needed off six! Avesh to bowl. Can he defend it?

Afeef: "Each of Raza's 3 ODI tons he made this month have come while chasing"

Manav: "Heartbreak !!! Heartbreak !!! Heartbreak !!! PS: I am from India."

Nyauchi on strike. Strange that the batters did not cross.

Rahul asks Kishan to take his gloves off. It is a trick most keeper adapt these days...

Raza is on strike, importantly for Zimbabwe. Richard Ngarava is at the other end. Thakur to bowl the penultimate over. Can he bring back his happy knack?

You'd imagine both Avesh and Thakur will bowl the remaining three overs. I'd say it could be advantage Zimbabwe given Avesh's inexperience. He will bowl the first of his two now.

Vasan: "8/10 times, one would expect the batting team to chase down this total, in this day and age. Go Zim Go!!!"

Stat alert, coutesy Sampath: Fifth ODI century for Sikandar Raza in Zimbabwe, equal-most by a batter. Brendan Taylor also had 5 ODI hundreds in Zimbabwe.