3rd ODI highlights from Kochi

** Pommie Mbangwa, who was playing his 27th match, was making a comeback to the side after missing 44 matches. He last appeared at Sharjah, also against India, on 26-10-2000. Among Zimbabweans only Bryan Strang (51 matches between 1997 and 1999) and David Mutendera (48 between 1999 and 2001) have missed more matches. Mbangwa now equals Mluleki Nkala's tally of 44 matches between 1998 and 2000.

** Since his one-day debut against Sri Lanka at New Plymouth (in New Zealand) during the 1992 World Cup on 23-2-1992, Andy Flower was missing his only fifth match for Zimbabwe. Since then his team has played in 198 ODI matches, with Flower appearing in 193 of them. This means he has appeared in 97.47% of the matches played by his team since February 1992. Incidentally this was Zimbabwe's first victory since 1992 without Andy Flower in the side.

** Douglas Hondo who went wicket-less in his two matches before this one (both against England at home in October 2001) finally claimed his first (Dinesh Mongia). Later his figures of 4-37 were the best by a Zimbabwean bowler in India. The previous best was the 3-43 by left-arm spinner Grant Flower at Jodhpur on 8-12-2000.

** Hondo's figures were also the best by a visiting bowler at this ground. Australian Michael Kasprowicz had the previous best of 3-50 on 1-4-1998.

** The paltry partnership of 28 runs between Ganguly and Laxman was the best for the second wicket at this ground bettering the previous highest of 25 between fellow Indians Tendulkar and Dravid against South Africa on 9-3-2000.

** The wicket of Dravid was Mbangwa's only second in his last ten matches. His only other wicket was of another Indian Yuvraj Singh in his previous match at Sharjah on 26-10-2000. Interestingly, Mbangwa had gone wicket-less in 19 games, which accounts nearly 70% of his 27 matches.

** The partnership of 86 runs between Mohammad Kaif and Sanjay Bangar was the best for India against Zimbabwe obliterating the previous best of 83 (unbeaten) between Ajay Jadeja and Robin Singh at Benoni on 9-2-1997.

** India's total of 191 in 48.3 overs was its second lowest against Zimbabwe in one-dayers. The lowest still remains as the 168 in 43.5 overs at Bulawayo on 15-2-1997. Incidentally, India were being dismissed for the first time at home by the Zimbabweans. Previously the maximum wickets India had lost at home were eight - at Jodhpur on 8-12-2000. However India had then managed to score 283 runs, though it had lost the match !

** Alistair Campbell (71, on 60) became the third Zimbabwean and the 35th batsman to reach 5000 runs in ODI history. It was his 175th match and 171st innings of his career.

** The partnership of 105 runs between Alistair Campbell and Grant Flower was the best for the third wicket at this venue bettering the previous best of 61 runs between Mohammad Azharuddin and Vinod Kambli against Australia on 1-4-1998.

** The six-wicket win was Zimbabwe's eighth over India in 39 matches. It was also its most comprehensive victory against India. Previously it had won by 38 runs at Harare on 30-9-1998. Zimbabwe's other two wins while batting second were both by one wicket - at Jodhpur on 8-12-2000 and in the first match of the series at Faridabad on 7-3-2002.

- Zimbabwe's tour of India - the complete coverage.