Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza wins the toss and elects to bat in the third and final ODI against Australia on Sunday. This is the first time Zimbabwe bat first in the series, according to the reports.
Australia is positioned to complete a clean sweep after recording consecutive wins over Zimbabwe—59 runs in the opening match and 84 runs in the second ODI. At the toss, Raza says the decision reflects an attempt to take a different approach after Zimbabwe struggled in the previous games when chasing targets.
The outlets align on the match decision and the series context, noting that Zimbabwe’s earlier batting was affected by conditions, including difficulty dealing with an older ball while pursuing runs in the fourth and fifth overs. Both reports frame Zimbabwe’s election to bat as a tactical change for the final match.
