Commentary: India vs Zimbabwe

March 14, 2015 06:55 am | Updated November 16, 2021 05:14 pm IST - AUCKLAND

World champions India took the attacking option on Saturday by asking Zimbabwe to bat in their final World Cup Pool B match at Eden Park.

World champions India took the attacking option on Saturday by asking Zimbabwe to bat in their final World Cup Pool B match at Eden Park.

World champions India took the attacking option on Saturday by asking Zimbabwe to bat in their final World Cup Pool B match at Eden Park.

India, who is seeking a sixth consecutive win in the tournament, will top the group regardless of the result while Zimbabwe has already been eliminated.

Both teams are unchanged for Saturday's match.

India, a nation where bowlers have traditionally played a secondary role to batsmen, is now the only team in the tournament to have dismissed each of their opponents within 50 overs.

Mohammed Shami leads a potent pace attack which includes Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma, who have collected 26 wickets between them in the tournament, while off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been outstanding with 11 wickets and an economy rate of 3.89 runs an over.

The match will be the last outing in a Zimbabwe shirt for 29-year-old captain-wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor, who has signed a three-year deal with English county team Nottinghamshire on a contract which makes him ineligible for his country.

Zimbabwe's bowling average is the worst of any team in the tournament and only the United Arab Emirates have taken fewer wickets.

Saturday's weather is fine and hot in Auckland with a predicted high of 25 degrees Celsius.

Teams:

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt and wk), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma and Umesh Yadav.

Zimbabwe: Brendan Taylor (capt), Chamu Chibhabha, Sikandar Raza, Solomon Mire, Hamilton Masakadza, Sean Williams, Craig Ervine, Regis Chakabva, Tawanda Mupariwa, Tinashe Panyangara, Tendai Chatara.

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