A confident India will have a score to settle when it takes on host Zimbabwe for the second time in the ongoing tri-series here on Thursday.
Zimbabwe had spoiled Suresh Raina's captaincy debut when it inflicted six-wicket defeat on India in the opener in Bulawayo but the visitor was quick to recover, thumping Sri Lanka in its second outing.
At the halfway stage, all three teams have one win and a defeat against their names and India will go all out for a win to put one foot in the final.
For India, its batting has been the biggest strength so far as it posted 285 in the first match and chased down 242 with consummate ease in the second tie with 6.3 overs to spare.
Batting mainstay Rohit Sharma has been in the form of his life as he slammed consecutive centuries to anchor the Indian innings in both the matches. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and vice-captain Virat Kohli have also sizzled with the bat.
The team, however, has not been served well by its openers. Both Dinesh Karthik and Murali Vijay could not give starts that India is so used to when Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir open the innings.
Raina, on his part, looked in good nick in both the matches but the team is yet to get a big knock from the skipper.
Zimbabwe, meanwhile, will require something extraordinary to pull off a repeat performance against the mighty Indians.
The host's high-flying campaign has already been brought down to earth by Sri Lanka when it was skittled out for a paltry 118 in 24.5 overs in a rain-curtailed match.
Opener Hamilton Masakadza has done the bulk of scoring with 46 and 62 respectively in the last two matches. Other opener Brendon Taylor dazzled in the first match with 81 but managed just two against Sri Lanka.
Among the bowlers, Chris Mpofu and Prosper Utseya were among the wickets against India but they failed completely against the Lankans.
The teams (from):India: Suresh Raina (capt.), Virat Kohli, R. Ashwin, Ashok Dinda, Ravindra Jadeja, Dinesh Karthik, Amit Mishra, Naman Ojha, Pragyan Ojha, Pankaj Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Rohit Sharma, Murali Vijay, R Vinay Kumar, Umesh Yadav.
Zimbabwe: Elton Chigumbura (capt.), Andy Blignaut, Chamu Chibhabha, Charles Coventry, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Greg Lamb, Hamilton Masakadza, Chris Mpofu, Ray Price, Ed Rainsford, Vusi Sibanda, Tatenda Taibu, Brendan Taylor and Prosper Utseya.
