India secured a hard-fought four-wicket victory against Zimbabwe in the opening T20I at Raipur, taking an early 1-0 lead in the three-game series. The win was anchored by a resilient 82-run partnership between Deepti Sharma and debutant Niki Prasad, which rescued the hosts after they were reduced to 19 for 4 within the opening four overs of the chase. Chasing 115, India were reduced to 19 for 4 inside four overs by Nyasha Gwanzura (3 for 18), before Deepti and Niki added 82 off 63 balls to set them up for a win with 26 balls to spare in what was Smriti Mandhana’s firs.
Zimbabwe’s Innings and India’s Bowling
Asked to bat first by newly appointed captain Smriti Mandhana, Zimbabwe enjoyed a productive start despite losing Beloved Biza early to Kranti Gaud. Kelis Ndhlovu provided the backbone of the innings, playing aggressive strokes through the off-side to reach 60 for 1 by the midpoint. However, the momentum shifted after the drinks break when Shree Charani dismissed Modester Mupachikwa. Ndhlovu, who stalled at 42 runs off 44 balls, eventually succumbed to an Arundhati Reddy slower ball. While Sharne Mayers maintained the pressure with an unbeaten 43, Nandani Sharma conceded only three runs in the final over, claiming two wickets via Richa Ghosh stumpings to restrict Zimbabwe to 114 for 5. With Modester Mupachikwa for company, took Zimbabwe to 60 for 1 at the halfway mark as India missed run-out chances and gave away overthrows, kelis Ndhlovu struck the ball cleanly through the off side and. Ndhlovu, who was 42 off 30 balls at one stage, did not add another run and was bowled by an Arundhati Reddy slower ball for 42 off 44 in the 15th over, moments after surviving a catch by Niki at long-off that the third u. And the Indian spinners strangled the scoring rate, charani took a return catch to remove Mupachikwa. Including 15 off the 18th over bowled by Arundhati, but Nandani gave away just three runs in the final over and had Gwanzura and Michelle Ma, sharne Mayers (43 not out off 33) kept Zimbabwe going with 4 fours and 2 sixes. And the senior partner counterattacked from the start, lofting Gwanzura for two fours in the last over of the Powerplay, deepti then joined hands with Niki in the middle.
A Historic Top-Order Collapse
India’s pursuit of the target started with 14 runs off Tendai Makusha’s opening over, but the innings suffered an unprecedented meltdown shortly after. Nyasha Gwanzura proved devastating, removing Smriti Mandhana and Anushka Sharma within her first over, while Michelle Mavunga dismissed Harmanpreet Kaur for a maiden wicket over. When Gwanzura secured a return catch to dismiss Shafali Verma, India hit a new low, losing four wickets within the first four overs of a T20I for the first time in their history.
The Match-Winning Stand
Deepti Sharma and Niki Prasad began their reconstruction job by taking 15 runs off Olinder Chare in the 10th over. Their 82-run stand—the highest for India’s fifth wicket or lower in the T20I format—effectively neutralized Zimbabwe’s early advantage. Deepti displayed aggressive intent against the bowlers, notably striking three fours off Mavunga in the 12th over. Although Deepti fell just one run shy of a half-century and Richa Ghosh was dismissed shortly thereafter, Prasad maintained her composure to seal the victory with a drive past mid-off in the 16th over, completing a successful chase with 26 balls to spare.
- Zimbabwe Women: 114/5 (20 overs) – Sharne Mayers 43*, Kelis Ndhlovu 42; Nandani Sharma 2-11, Shree Charani 1-14.
- India Women: 116/6 (15.4 overs) – Deepti Sharma 49, Niki Prasad 39*; Nyasha Gwanzura 3-18.
- Result: India Women won by 4 wickets.
