Zimbabwe clinched a decisive victory over Ireland in the final match of their three-match one-day international series, thanks to a stellar century from Ben Curran. The triumph at Harare Sports Club on Sunday saw Zimbabwe secure a 2-1 series win. Curran's exceptional performance, which included 14 boundaries, steered his team to reach the target in just 39.3 overs, marking his first international century.
The series began with Zimbabwe taking the lead after a 49-run win in Friday's opener. However, Ireland bounced back on Sunday with a six-wicket victory to level the series. Despite their efforts, Ireland fell short in the decisive third match. The absence of opener Ross Adair, who missed all three games due to a calf injury, was a significant blow for the Irish side.
Ireland's innings on Sunday was marked by commendable partnerships. Andy Balbirnie and Harry Tector built a crucial 86-run stand for the third wicket, stabilizing the team's innings. Later, Lorcan Tucker and Mark Adair added 67 runs for the sixth wicket, contributing to Ireland's total of 240-6 from their 50 overs. Despite these efforts, Graham Hume emerged as Ireland's sole wicket-taker.
On the Zimbabwean side, Ben Curran's innings was the highlight, as he occupied the crease throughout and led his team to victory. Brian Bennett added valuable runs with a quick-fire 48 off 48 balls. Meanwhile, Richard Ngarava and Trevor Gwandu delivered impressive bowling performances, claiming figures of 2-42 and 2-44 respectively.
As the ODI series concludes, both teams now shift their focus to the upcoming three-match T20 series, which is set to commence on Saturday. The T20 format promises another round of thrilling encounters between these competitive sides.
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