Smriti Mandhana experienced a dramatic start to her tenure as India’s full-time captain in Raipur, where her team overcame a top-order collapse to defeat Zimbabwe by four wickets with 26 balls remaining. Playing the opening fixture of the series at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, India were forced to dig deep after being reduced to 19 for 4 inside the opening four overs of the chase while hunting a modest target of 115 runs. Offspinner Nyasha Gwanzura wrecked the home side’s top order with a devastating spell that included the crucial wickets of Mandhana, Shafali Verma, and Anushka Sharma.
- Match Result: India women 116 for 6 beat Zimbabwe women 114 for 5 by four wickets.
- Star Performers: Deepti Sharma scored 49 runs, while debutant Niki Prasad finished unbeaten on 39.
- Bowling Figures: Nyasha Gwanzura was the pick of the bowlers for Zimbabwe with figures of 3 for 18.
- Zimbabwe Innings: Sharne Mayers remained not out on 43 and Kelis Ndhlovu contributed 42 runs.
India’s Top-Order Wobble
Electing to field first after winning the toss, the Indian bowling attack restricted Zimbabwe to 114 for 5 in their allotted 20 overs. Kelis Ndhlovu played a resilient knock of 42 runs, anchoring the innings alongside Sharne Mayers, who finished unbeaten on 43 off the back of some late-order hitting that pushed the total past the 100-run mark. In response, India made a brisk start before Gwanzura dismantled their batting lineup. Mandhana fell early for a top-edge, and when Shafali Verma was caught off her own bowling, India found themselves in deep trouble at 19 for 4.
Prasad and Deepti Secure the Victory
Facing significant pressure on her international debut, Niki Prasad joined Deepti Sharma at the crease and calmly orchestrated a rescue mission. The pair focused on rotating the strike and punishing loose deliveries to steady the innings. Deepti played aggressively, hitting several boundaries on her way to 49 before falling just short of a well-deserved half-century. Following her dismissal and the quick removal of Richa Ghosh, Prasad anchored the remaining chase alongside the lower order, successfully guiding India past the finish line to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
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