HARARE, July 12: India rode on a solid all-round performance to comfortably crush Zimbabwe by 62 runs in the second One Day International, thereby taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match cricket series, here today.
Batting first, India scored a decent 271 for eight in 50 overs largely due to a 112-run opening stand between Murali Vijay (72) and skipper Ajinkya Rahane (63), who hit patient half-centuries to set up a fighting target.
In reply, Zimbabwe managed to score only 209 in 49 overs as the bowlers maintained their stranglehold on the opposition throughout the entire duration of the hosts� innings.
Losing three wickets in the first 11 overs including skipper and last match�s centurion Elton Chigumbura (9) turned the match decisively in India�s favour.
Chamu Chibhabha (72, 100 balls) top-scored but that was never going to enough for the home team to cross the finishing line in this match.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4 for 33 in 10 overs and along with Dhawal Kulkarni (1/39 in 9 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 batsmen during the middle overs.
Unlike the first match, Indian team were far better in both departments as they upped their game by a few notches.
While the new fielding rule topped by cautious approach from the batsmen meant that India did not pile up a mammoth total but one that was good enough to have Zimbabwe being pushed back to the wall.
SCORECARD
India: Ajinkya Rahane c Raza b Chibhabha 63, Murlai Vijay c sub Waller b Madziva 72, Ambati Rayudu c sub Waller b Raza 41, Manoj Tiwary c Vitori b Tiripano 22, Robin Uthappa b Madziva 13, Stuart Binny c Raza b Vitori 25, Kedar Jadhav c Mutumbami b Madziva 16, Harbhajan Singh not out 5, Axar Patel c Raza b Madziva 1, Bhuvneshwar Kumar not out 0. Extras: (W-13) 13. Total: (For 8 wkts in 50 overs) 271. Fall of wickets: 1/112 2/159 3/203 4/205 5/233 6/264 7/266 8/269. Bowling: Brian Vitori 8-0-47-1, Donald Tiripano 9-0-2-1, Neville Madziva 10-0-49-4, Sean Williams 5-0-23-0, Graeme Cremer 5-0-32-0, Chamu Chibhabha 5-0-27-1, Hamilton Masakadza 4-0-26-0, Sikandar Raza 4-0-25-1. � PTI
Zimbabwe: V Sibanda c Vijay b Kulkarni 2, CJ Chibhabha run out 72, H Masakadza c Uthappa b Kumar 5, E Chigumbura c Rahane b Kumar 9, SC Williams b Patel 20, Sikandar Raza c Uthappa b Harbhajan Singh 18, R Mutumbami c Patel b Binny 32, AG Cremer c Rahane b Kumar 27, N Madziva run out 0, DT Tiripano c Patel b Kumar 6, BV Vitori not out 8. Extras: (b 4, lb 4, w 2) 10. Total: (all out; 49 overs; 210 mins) 209. Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-31, 3-43, 4-95, 5-130, 6-132, 7-184, 8-186, 9-195, 10-209. Bowling:B Kumar 10-3-33-4, DS Kulkarni 9-1-39-1, Harbhajan Singh 10-0-29-1, STR Binny 7-0 -42-1, AR Patel 10-1-40-1, M Vijay 3-0-18-0. � PTI
