IND vs ZIM 2022: "The 190-run total was never going to trouble India" - Aakash Chopra on Men in Blue's emphatic win in 1st ODI

Aakash Chopra has pointed out that the first ODI between India and Zimbabwe was a mismatch as the 190-run target was never going to pose a challenge for the visitors.

Zimbabwe were bowled out for 189 runs in the series opener at the Harare Sports Club in Harare on Thursday, August 18. Indian openers Shikhar Dhawan (81* off 113) and Shubman Gill (82* off 72) then added 192 runs for the opening wicket without getting separated to seal an emphatic 10-wicket win.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra highlighted that the Chevrons did not live up to the pre-series expectations with their batting performance in the first game, explaining:

"When Zimbabwe defeated Bangladesh, we felt that there will be some fight with us as well, but where was the match, it was a mismatch. They were thrashed. The 190-run total was never going to trouble India."

Chopra added that a slightly weakened Zimbabwe side was no match for India once their top order was blown away. The former Indian opener observed:

"The Zimbabwe team is looking extremely weak in any case, they have become even weaker because their main players are not available. In such a case, if the top order collapses, nothing is going to happen."

Chopra pointed out that the seamer-friendly conditions did not help the hosts' cause. He elaborated:

"The toss is very important here. It was a day match, there was sideways movement, cold weather - it was 18 degrees, and on top of that the skill of the Indian bowlers. All batters came one by one and were getting dismissed."

The Indian seamers got a lot of assistance from the surface at the start of the Zimbabwe innings. The pitch eased out as the day progressed, with Richard Ngarava and Brad Evans stringing together a 70-run partnership for the ninth wicket to delay the inevitable.

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"Sikandar Raza was a very very important wicket" - Aakash Chopra

Sikandar Raza has been in scintillating form lately [P/C: Twitter]

Aakash Chopra concluded by observing that Sikandar Raza's dismissal was a death knell for Zimbabwe's hopes. The reputed commentator stated:

"Sikandar Raza, I thought, was a very very important wicket. That was like make or break for Zimbabwe. Chakabva fought and a few runs came from the lower order, everyone tried and they reached not even a fighting total, but a respectable total, however you want to define respect."

Raza was caught by Dhawan at first slip off Prasidh Krishna's bowling after contributing just 12 runs. While the lanky Karnataka pacer finished with figures of 3/50, Deepak Chahar (3/27) and Axar Patel (3/24) were the most impressive Indian bowlers.