India vs Zimbabwe Match Prediction: Who will win today's 5th T20I match?
After a brief blip in the series opener, India have settled into a nice rhythm. A thumping 100-run win in the second T20I set the tone, and the Men in Blue reeled off another two wins to seal the rubber with a game remaining.
Zimbabwe, who are in the middle of a transition, have shown flashes of promise. But it hasn't transformed into anything special in two of the four encounters so far, even though a solitary win over the much-fancied visitors would still end up being a massive takeaway from the series.
Both teams have played some good cricket in the assignment, and the crowd at the Harare Sports Club has only elevated the occasion. Irrespective of the result, this is an important series for the two sides, who have contrasting objectives.
Can India put the exclamation point on their series performance so far and try out some new(ish) players? Or will Zimbabwe fight one last time and end the rubber on a high?
IND vs ZIM 2024: India the firm favorites
India's batters are slowly clicking into gear. Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal have done well as a pair in the last two matches, and Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, and Ruturaj Gaikwad have had their moments.
The Men in Blue haven't been perfect on the bowling front. The fast bowlers have looked off-color at times, particularly Khaleel Ahmed, and it hasn't been easy to split fifth-bowler duties between Abhishek Sharma and Shivam Dube.
Nevertheless, India are still the firm favorites for this encounter. They have Zimbabwe well and truly outmatched in both departments, and the fact that some key home players haven't come up with decisive displays only increases their chances of winning.
Brian Bennett has shown promise but hasn't been able to convert that into match-winning performances often enough. The same goes for Wessly Madhevere and Dion Myers. Zimbabwe will be dangerous in a few years, but they're still raw as of now.
The hosts certainly have the talent to upset an inexperienced Indian side on Sunday, having already done so once in the competition. However, the smart money would be on Shubman Gill and his men sustaining their good run of form and easing past Zimbabwe.
India can be backed to end the series with a convincing 4-1 scoreline.
Prediction: India to win the 5th T20I vs Zimbabwe.