Andy Blignaut snicks Zaheer Khan past Dinesh Karthik and Rahul Dravid Thursday. (Reuters)

Harare: The wait is finally over: The jinx that had frustrated India so many times is now a thing of the past.

India eventually won a Test in Harare ? a demolition of the hosts, to say the least ? and more importantly, ended the drought of a series win outside the subcontinent after 19 years.

On the third day, Team India overcame a frustratingly long late order Zimbabwe fightback before recording the 10-wicket victory on Thursday. The Indians allowed the hosts to avoid an innings defeat with some poor fielding as the they managed to score 223 in their second innings before Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir rattled up the required runs (19) to clinch the series 2-0 at the Harare Sports Club Ground.

India last won a Test series outside the subcontinent in 1986, when they beat England 2-0.

The series, however, will be remembered for Irfan Pathan’s top-class swing bowling, which brought him a world record.

Pathan captured five more wickets in the second innings to return with a tally of 12 wickets. The left-arm paceman’s sixth five-wicket haul in 15 Tests gave him 21 wickets in the series, equalling the world record for a two-Test series.

Left-arm spinner Johnny Briggs took 21 wickets in two Tests for England against South Africa in 1888-89, a feat matched by India’s Anil Kumble against Pakistan in 1999.

Hamilton Masakadza (71) and Andy Blignaut (84 not out) were the main performers for the hosts as the duo put on a record 116-run seventh wicket partnership which helped the home team avoid the ignominy of an innings defeat.

Blignaut, who was dropped thrice in succession off the bowling of Zaheer, launched a blistering attack on the Indian bowlers as the hosts scored at a very brisk pace, compiling as many as 151 runs in the pre-lunch session.

Although Pathan and Zaheer troubled the batsmen with their swing, the two spinners Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble could not make much of an impression.

Pathan, incidentally, was named both Man of the Match and Man of the Series.

It was Pathan who eventually broke the seventh-wicket partnership by getting rid of Masakadza, trapping him in front of the wicket with an inswinger and then struck again immediately by removing Keith Mbusi Dabengwa.

Zimbabwe lost overnight batsman Heath Streak (8) in the very first over of the day but from then on things started to roll their way.

It was Zaheer’s 16th over when substitute Dheeraj Jadhav, Sehwag and wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthick put down catches behind the stumps to leave the bowler fuming under his breath.

India also erred in other areas in the field and once Pathan failed to collect a throw to effect a run-out.

Sourav brought himself on for the final over of the morning session and was promptly greeted with a towering six by Blignaut. Conforming to the pattern of the morning, Blignaut was dropped again in the slips and it was V.V.S. Laxman who was the culprit.