India rode on a solid all-round performance to beat Zimbabwe by 62 runs in the second One-day International and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, in Harare, on Sunday.
Batting first, India put up a decent 271 for 8 wickets in their 50 overs, largely due to a 112-run opening stand between Murali Vijay (72) and skipper Ajinkya Rahane (63).
In reply, Zimbabwe could only score only 209, dismissed in 49 overs, as the Indian bowlers maintained their stranglehold throughout the innings.
Losing three wickets in the first 11 overs, including that of skipper and last match's centurion Elton Chigumbura (9), turned the match decisively India's way.
Chamu Chibhabha (72, 100 balls) top-scored, but that was never going to enough for the home team to cross the finishing line.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of 4 for 33 in 10 overs. He and Dhawal Kulkarni (1 for 39 in nine overs) provided initial breakthroughs, while spinners Harbhajan Singh (1-29 in 10 overs) and Axar Patel (1-40 in 10 overs) kept a tight leash on the host batsmen during the middle overs.
Unlike the first match, the Indians were far better than their opponents.
The new fielding rule, topped by a cautious approach by their batsmen, meant that India could not pile a mammoth total. However, it was good enough to have Zimbabwe pushed against the wall.
Vijay and Rahane took the safety first approach against the white duke ball that did its bit in the air and off the pitch in the cool conditions. Both openers had a strike-rate of less than 80, but they did enough to create a platform for a decent enough score.
There were partnerships worth 47 and 44 runs for the second and third wickets, with the in-form Ambati Rayudu involved in both.
He contributed 41 off 50 balls, inclusive of three boundaries.
Manoj Tiwary (22) and Robin Uthappa (13) missed yet another opportunity to impress the selectors and team management for a long term slot in the squad.
Tiwary (22) failed to capitalize after getting a start, while Uthappa (13) and Stuart Binny (25) tried to prop the innings towards the end with some brisk scoring.
Binny hit three boundaries in his 16-ball knock, which eventually led to India scoring in excess of 270.
When Zimbabwe batted, Dhawal Kulkarni struck the first blow, dismissing Vusimuzi Sibanda (2), caught at point by Vijay.
The experienced Hamilton Masakadza (5) gave a regulation catch to Uthappa behind the stumps off Bhuvneshwar.
A lot was expected of Chugumbura, but Zimbabwe's captain was dismissed to a smart piece of slip catching by skipper Rahane, as the hosts were down in the dumps at 43 for 3.
Eventually, they were unable to recover, as the early slump provided Harbhajan and Axar the perfect platform to press home the advantage.
The Zimbabwe batsmen found it hard to get going even as the the senior off-spinner was unlucky to see two simple catches being dropped off his bowling.
