Vice-captain Sanju Samson starred with the bat to guide the Indian cricket team to a 42-run win against Zimbabwe in the fifth and final T20 match at Harare on Sunday and pocket the series 4-1.

Samson, who is the skipper of Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, top-scored in the contest with a 45-ball 58 to guide India to a competitive total of 167/6. He hit four sixes and a boundary en route to his second T20I fifty.

In response, Zimbabwe could manage only 125 before getting all-out in 18.3 overs with Mukesh Kumar picking up 4/22. Shivam Dube supported well with two wickets while Dion Myers was the best batter for Zimbabwe scoring 34 off 32 balls.

Samson came into bat at number four with India in a spot of bother at 38/2. It soon became 40/3 with the exit of Indian captain Shubman Gill. Samson joined hands with fellow Royals batter Riyan Parag to rebuild the innings.

After a cautious start, Samson, who was on 10 off his first 14 balls, scored his first six clubbing Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza down the ground. The wicketkeeper-batter then showed his prowess against spin, scoring back-to-back sixes off Brandon Mavuta.

The first six was Samson’s 300th six in T20 cricket whereas the next brought up the fifty-run partnership with Parag. The duo added 65 runs from 56 balls for the fourth wicket setting the foundation for the team to cut loose in the death overs. 

Samson reached the half-century mark in 39 balls during the 17th over and added another 30 runs with Dube in quick time. That helped India set Zimbabwe a target of 168 with Dube and Parag also chipping in with 26 and 22, respectively.

Samson aggregated 70 runs from two innings this series at an average of 70.00 and a strike rate of 134.61. Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal also shone with the willow finishing as the second-highest run-getter in the series with 141 runs from three matches averaging 70.50 and at a strike rate of 165.88.

Avesh Khan had a good outing too, picking up six wickets from three matches averaging just 13.83 runs and getting a wicket every 11 balls.