1st ODI: Centurion Rayudu guides India to 255/6 against Zimbabwe

NEW DELHI: Ambati Rayudu scored an unbeaten 133-ball 124 to guide India to a respectable total of 255/6 against Zimbabwe after early wobbles in the first ODI of the three-match series at Harare Sports Club on Friday.
Scorecard
Rayudu was ably supported by allrounder Stuart Binny, who scored his career best 77, as the duo added a record 160-run stand for the sixth wicket.Rayudu hit a six and a dozen boundaries in his innings whereas Binny smashed a couple of sixes and six fours in his quick 76-ball knock before losing his wicket in the penultimate over. Depleted India, under new skipper Ajinkya Rahane, were in a spot of bother at the half-way stage of their innings as they were reduced to 87/5 in 24.2 overs, before the Rayudu-Binny partnership resurrected their innings.
For Zimbabwe, medium-pacer Chamu Chibhabha was the pick of the bowlers. He dismissed Monoj Tiwary and Kedar Jadhav to finish with 2/25 in 10 overs, which included two maiden overs.
Sent in to bat, India's innings started on a wrong note as they lost opener Murali Vijay (1) in the fourth over. After struggling to come to groove for a while, the reliable Test opener poked at an away going delivery from Brian Vitori to give an easy catch to Vusi Sibanda at second slip.
Rahane tried to resurrect their innings with Rayudu and they took India past 50 runs in 15.2 overs. The duo stitched a 51-run second-wicket partnership to take India to 60/1 in 17.1 overs. But the stand did not last long as Rahane edged Donald Tiripano to Hamilton Masakadza at first slip in the next ball, leaving India tottering at 60/2 in 17.2 overs. Rahane hit five boundaries in his 48-ball 34.
Rayudu continued to hold fort at one end but India lost wickets at regular intervals from the other end. They lost half their side with the score reading 87/5 in 24.2 overs. Manoj Tiwary (2) was first to go after Rahane, trapped leg before by Chamu Chibhabha as India were reduced to 74/3 in 20.4 overs.
India's struggle continued when they lost Robin Uthappa (0) through a run out, while trying to steal a quick single, to Sikandar Raza's direct hit at the bowler's end in the 22nd over. Then Chibhabha struck again in the 25th over to get rid of Jadhav (5).
Playing XIs
India: Murali Vijay, Robin Uthappa(w), Ajinkya Rahane(c), Ambati Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav, Manoj Tiwary, Harbhajan Singh, Axar Patel, Dhawal Kulkarni, Stuart Binny, Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Zimbabwe: Sikandar Raza, Vusi Sibanda, Chamu Chibhabha, Hamilton Masakadza, Sean Williams, Elton Chigumbura(c), Richmond Mutumbami(w), Graeme Cremer, Donald Tiripano, Brian Vitori, Tinashe Panyangara
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