Kaif ton lifts India despite Flower heroics

Colombo, September 14 : Mohammad Kaif's maiden century lifted India to a 14-run victory over a fighting Zimbabwe in a see-saw opening pool 2 game in the Champions Trophy on Saturday.

The 21-year-old hit an unbeaten 111 to help India recover from a shaky start after winning the toss to pile up 288 for six before restricting Zimbabwe to 274 for eight in the tournament's toughest group, which also includes England.

Veteran Andy Flower almost pulled off victory for his side with a career-best 145, but the Indian bowlers managed to stop vital boundaries in the final stages to keep the target just out of Zimbabwe's reach.

Flower, who hit his fourth one-day century, almost made India pay for dropping him on 15 and 28 by adding 84 runs for the third wicket with his brother Grant (33) and another 71 from 72 deliveries for the fifth with Guy Whittall (29).

But the consistent left-hander perished in the end as he became one of Sachin Tendulkar's two victims in the penultimate over.

Left-arm fast bowler Zaheer Khan struck two early blows and finished with figures of four for 45.

Kaif, a former under-19 World Cup winning captain, kept his cool after Zimbabwe fast bowler Douglas Hondo struck four quick blows to reduce India to 87 for five on electing to bat in the day-night game.

Coming in at number seven, he showed India's batting depth by adding 117 runs for the sixth wicket with in-form Rahul Dravid, who weighed in with 71 from only 79 balls.

Hondo eventually finished with figures of four for 62 as Kaif brought up his second fifty from only 37 balls to remain undefeated from 112 deliveries, his second heroic effort after a match-winning 87 not out against England in a tri-series final in July.

Zimbabwe, who had not played an international since touring India in March, could not accelerate when they needed to as India maintained their recent dominance of their opponents, who they beat 3-2 in a one-day series earlier this year.