HARARE: Wicketkeeper Sanju Samson struck an unbeaten 43 to guide India to a five-wicket victory on Saturday and a series win after the second of three one-day internationals in Harare.
Zimbabwe made a modest 161 after losing the toss and India recovered from losing skipper KL Rahul leg before for one to reach 167-5 with 146 balls remaining.
The result relegates the third match on Monday to a dead rubber, but Zimbabwe will be encouraged after putting up a much better show than two days ago, when they suffered a 10-wicket hiding.
Batting at number six, Samson faced 39 deliveries over 51 minutes and smashed four sixes and three fours.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan and fellow top-order batsman Shubman Gill contributed 33 runs each as India recovered from 5-1 to eventually finish comfortable winners.
Vice-captain Dhawan struck four fours in a brisk innings while the more cautious Gill notched six fours.
Luke Jongwe was the most successful Zimbabwe bowler, taking the wickets of Gill and Ishan Kishan for the loss of 33 runs in four overs.
Score Board
India won the toss
Zimbabwe Innings
Kaitano c †Samson b Siraj 7
Kaia c †Samson b Thakur 16
Madhevere c †Samson b Krishna 2
Chakabva (c)† c Gill b Thakur 2
Raza c Kishan b Yadav 16
Williams c Dhawan b Hooda 42
Burl not out 39
Jongwe b Thakur 6
Evans b Patel 9
Nyauchi run out (Rahul/†Samson) 0
Chivanga run out (Yadav/Krishna) 4
Extras: (lb 4, w 14) 18
Total: 38.1 Ov (RR: 4.21) 161
Fall: 1-20, 8.4 ov, 2-27, 11.1 ov, 3-29, 11.6 ov, 4-31, 12.4 ov, 5-72, 20.6 ov, 6-105, 27.6 ov, 7-129, 32.3 ov, 8-149, 36.6 ov, 9-156, 37.2 ov, 10-161
Bowling: Mohammed Siraj 8-2-16-1 , Prasidh Krishna 6.1-1-28-1, Shardul Thakur 7-0-38-3, Axar Patel 7-1-20-1, Kuldeep Yadav 8-0-49-1
India Innings (Target: 162)
Dhawan c Kaia b Chivanga 33
Rahul (c) lbw b Nyauchi 1
Gill c Evans b Jongwe 33
Kishan b Jongwe 6
Hooda b Sikandar Raza 25
Samson † not out 43
Axar Patel not out 6
Extras: (b 1, nb 1, w 18) 20
Total: 25.4 Ov (RR: 6.50, ) 167/5
Did not bat: Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Siraj
Fall: 1-5, 1.4 ov, 2-47, 6.3 ov, 3-83, 11.4 ov, 4-97, 13.6 ov, 5-153, 23.3 ov
Bowling: Tanaka Chivanga 7-0-38-1, Victor Nyauchi 4-0-32-1, Luke Jongwe 4-0-33-2, Brad Evans 4-0-21-0, Sikandar Raza 4-0-16-1, Sean Williams 1-0-13-0, Wessly Madhevere 1-0-7-0
Match result: India won by 5 wickets
Player of The Match: Sanju Samson
Umpires: Holdstock, Iknow Chabi