India set Zimbabwe daunting target of 271 runs in second ODI
Rahane and Vijay put on 112 for the first wicket after India were put in to bat.
HARARE (AFP) - Half-centuries from opening batsmen Ajinkya Rahane and Murali Vijay helped India to a solid total on a slow surface in the second one-day international against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
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.
That was an improvement on the 255 for six that they scored on a better surface in the first one-day international, which they won by four runs.
On that occasion the Zimbabwean seamers reduced them to 87 for five, but Rahane and Vijay showed that they had learnt from the experience as they abandoned aggression in a languid opening stand.
Captain Rahane moved to 63 before he fell to a delivery that stuck in the pitch, while Vijay registered his maiden one-day fifty in his 16th match, scoring 72.
India went into the final 10 overs well set on 194 for two, but were quickly pegged back when Friday s centurion Ambati Rayudu was dismissed for 41 and Manoj Tiwary fell for 22.
Seamer Neville Madziva ensured that Zimbabwe finished strongly as he picked up three wickets at the death to finish with career-best figures of four for 49 in 10 overs.
