Half-centuries from Ajinkya Rahane and Murali Vijay and four wickets from Bhuvneshwar Kumar saw India beat Zimbabwe by 62 runs in the second one-day international.

India beat Zimbabwe in the second game to clinch the three-game series with one to spare, and put behind it an embarrassing recent loss to Bangladesh.

Stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane and Murali Vijay both made half-centuries in a century opening to lead India to 271-8 batting first.

Rahane and Vijay put on 112 for the first wicket after India were put in to bat, and although the tourists could not fully capitalise on that platform, they were still able to post 271 for eight.

Vijay top-scored with 72, his first half-century in ODI cricket, while Rahane made 63. The duo put on 144 runs after coming together at 82/4. Pandey finished with 71 off 86 deliveries, while his partner Jadhav top-scored with an unbeaten 105 off 87 balls.

With the ball, India kept Zimbabwe on a tight leash for the first five overs, giving away just 12 runs. The pressure paid off for the team in blue as medium pacer Mohit sent Hamilton Masakadza packing for seven.

The other opener, Chibhabha, and Regis Chakabva then got together to forge a delightful 70-run partnership studded with some well-timed and perfectly placed boundaries. However, left-arm spinner Patel castled Chakabva for 27. After 25 overs Zimbabwe were 97/2.

Skipper Elton Chigumbura started off well but was adjudged leg-before-wicket off a delivery from Murali Vijay who was accurate with his part-time off-spinners. Chibhabha remained unfazed by the situation and kept on making merry out in the middle, clubbing a few big ones.

However, the Indians struck back again getting rid of Richmond Mutumbami and Chibahabha in space of a few overs, courtesy Binny who kept on hurling at a tight channel in one of the turning points of the game.

The medium pacer stuck again getting Malcolm Waller caught behind, but television replays showed Binny had over-stepped and the batsman was given not out in the 36th over.

In the next over though veteran offspinner Harbhajan Singh made up for Binny’s error, picking up two back-to-back wickets and in turn reducing the hosts to 172/7 and taking the sting out of the contest.