2nd ODI: Dhoni-led India hammer Zimbabwe to clinch series 2-0

Following in the footsteps of their predecessors, the young Indian team clinched the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series 2-0 following their eight-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the second match at the Harare Sports Club on 13 June.

Ambati Rayudu (41*) and Yuzvendra Chahal (3) were the star-performers for the MS Dhoni brigade that notched up the paltry total of 126 runs with 139 balls to spare.

Opting to field first, the Indian team produced a dominating bowling performance with the pace trio of Barinder Sran (2), Dhawal Kulkarni (2) and Jasprit Bumrah (1) sharing five wickets among them.

The Indian spinners, too, made an impression with Yuzvendra Chahal bagging three wickets for a mere 25 runs alongside one scalp claimed by his compatriot Axar Patel.

Zimbabwe's batting unit didn't look up to the task against the challenge posed by the Indian bowlers. Struggling at 106/3, the hosts slumped further and lost seven wickets for a mere 20 runs.

Middle-order batsman Vusi Sibanda, who scored 69-ball 53, was the only silver lining for Zimbabwe. The right-hander tried to stitch crucial partnerships but failed to find support from his teammates.

The chase was never going to trouble the quality batting line-up of the visitors who notched up the target at the expense of just two wickets. KL Rahul (33) and Karun Nair (39) gave a steady start to India, adding 58 runs for the first wicket.

Rahul, who had smashed a sensational ton in the 1st ODI, couldn't build on his innings and dragged Chamu Chibhabha's delivery back onto the stumps. Despite Rahul's dismissal, Nair and Ambati Rayudu continued to work the ball around for easy runs to steer the run-chase.

With just two runs required, India lost their second wicket after Sikandar Raza ended the resistance of Nair in the 27th over. But, Manish Pandey didn't waste any time and clobbered the very next delivery through covers for a boundary.

Earlier, India have registered back-to-back series whitewashes against Zimbabwe, first a 5-0 win in 2013 before completing a 3-0 victory in 2015.