The stalwart came up with an impeccable knock to overhaul former West Indian opener Desmond Haynes' record of 17 centuries to even overshadow the superb manner in which India returned to their winning ways after the Sahara Cup debacle.

Tendulkar, who had equalled the mark of Haynes with his match-winning 128 against Sri Lanka in the Independence Cup final at Colombo on July 7, achieved the grand distinction two matches later his 198th one-day appearance, and fittingly struck the winning boundary.

A breezy Rahul Dravid (64: 98b, 3x4) joined hands with Tendulkar (100: 106b, 10x4, 1x6) as they rattled up 180 runs for the second wicket and guided India to 216 for two in 42.2 overs after medium-pacer Ajit Agarkar (3-42) and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh (3-36) helped restrict Zimbabweto 213 (all out) in exactly 50 overs after Mohd Azharuddin won the toss.

Tendulkar's knock came as the icing on the cake after leg-spinner Anil Kumble had earlier become the first spinner in one-day history to capture 200 wickets.

The 27-year-old Karnataka bowler, in his 147th match, reached the milestone when he bowled Garry Brent for nought.

The target of 214 was never going to be easy to defend on warm conditions on a slow wicket devoid of any life. Tendulkar was lucky to survive twice in his innings, two lofted chances at mid-on and mid-off against fast bowler Mbangwa when he was on five and 10.

But Tendulkar's one-day century lifted the game many notches to the joy of the 7000-odd crowd. He never let the slow nature of the wicket affect his rate of scoring, his 50 arriving off only 43 deliveries with eight fours and arriving at his century with a towering six off Garry Brent.

His century stand with Dravid came off only 103 deliveries as there was no stopping the Indians despite the earlydeparture of Saurav Ganguly (11).All Azhar's worries about loose bowling and sloppy fielding during the Sahara Cup were gone as the sprightly Indians showed no ill-effects despite having to travel half the way across the globe from Canada to home and back.

Earlier, skipper and left-handed opener Alistair Campbell struck a fluent half-century (53: 41b, 9x4) and shared a 59-run third wicket stand with Andy Flower (30), but Indian bowlers applied the breaks by taking wickets at regular intervals. Craig Evans (34), Heath Streak (23), Paul Strang (22) and Andy Whittal (29) made contributions, but it only helped them past the 200-run mark.

Scoreboard

Zimbabwe: Alistair Campbell c Azharrudin b Robin Singh 53, Trevor Madondo c Tendulkar b Agarkar 10, Murray Goodwin lbw b Srinath 3, Andy Flower c Robin Singh b Harbhajan 30, Craig Evans c Agarkar b Harbhajan 34, Craig Wishart st Mongia b Harbhajan 1, Heath Streak run out (Dravid) 23, Paul Strang b Agarkar 22, Gary Brent b Kumble 0, Andrew Whittall c&bAgarkar 29, Mpumelelo Mbangwa not out 0. Extras (b1, lb2, nb2, w3) 8. Total (all out 50 overs) 213

Fall or wickets: 1-20, 2-40, 3-99, 4-99, 5-105, 6-157, 7-158, 8-160, 9-213

Bowling: Srinath 10-0-46-1, Agarkar 10-0-42-3, Harbhajan Singh 10-1-36-3, Kumble 10-0-50-1, Robin Singh 10-1-36-1.

India: Saurav Ganguly c A Flower b Streak 11, Sachin Tendulkar not out 127, Rahul Dravid c Campbell b Brent 64, Ajay Jadeja not out 3. Extras (w9, lb2) 11. Total (for 2 wickets, 42.2 overs) 216.

Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-209.

Bowling: Streak 8-0-30-1, Mbangwa 7-1-43-0, Brent 9.2-0-53-1, P Strang 7-1-36-0, Evans 4-0-21-0, A Whittal 7-0-31-0.

Result: India won by eight wickets.