India secured a commanding nine-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the series opener in Vadodara, chasing down a target of 198 in just 27.1 overs. Pratika Rawal headlined the chase with an undefeated 100 off 96 balls, while Shafali Verma provided a blistering cameo, finishing on 64 not out from 33 deliveries. The win gives India a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. Chasing down 198 with 22.5 overs to spare to go 1-0 up in the three-match series, pratika Rawal struck an unbeaten 100 off 96 balls as India thrashed Zimbabwe by nine wickets in the first ODI in Vadodara.
The foundation for the win was laid by a disciplined bowling performance. Shree Charani produced career-best figures of 4 for 23, expertly supported by Kranti Gaud who claimed 3 for 42. Despite some early lapses in the field—including dropped chances by Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma—the Indian bowlers managed to bowl Zimbabwe out for 197 in 49.5 overs. Beloved Biza top-scored for the visitors with 62, anchoring a middle-order stand after a precarious start. Richa Ghosh dropped Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano in the same over while Deepti Sharma spilled Modester Mupachikwa at slip off debutant Jintimani Kalita’s bowling in the eighth over as Zimbabwe trudged to 46 for 1 after the Powe. Opting to bat on a flat pitch, Zimbabwe lost Loryn Phiri in the third over when Kranti held on to a diving return catch, but India’s fielding let them down more than once in the early exchanges. She began with a maiden and then trapped Mugeri-Tiripano LBW with her first ball of the next over.
Zimbabwe struggled to maintain momentum against the spin and pace of the Indian attack. Charani proved particularly lethal, breaking the key partnership between Biza and Nyasha Gwanzura before cleaning up the tail. Late resilience from Michelle Mavunga, who struck 29 off 23 balls, offered a brief push, but the visitors ultimately fell short as Deepti Sharma dismissed Tendai Makusha to wrap up the innings. When Deepti had Sharne Mayers caught soon after, Zimbabwe were reeling at 70 for 4 but Biza held the innings together from there, adding 43 with Nyasha Gwanzura for the fifth wicket and reaching her fifty in the process. The last pair added 14 before Deepti bowled Tendai Makusha with one ball of the innings left.
India’s response was clinical from the start. Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana added 94 for the opening wicket, allowing India to reach 72 runs within the first ten overs. Although Mandhana departed for 32, the momentum continued unabated. Rawal, who reached her third ODI century with a boundary in the 27th over, shared an aggressive 106-run partnership with Verma off just 70 balls.
Shafali Verma accelerated the scoring late in the chase, notably smashing three sixes in a single 20-run over against Olinder Chare. The rapid partnership ensured a facile win for the hosts, comfortably securing the series lead. Brief scores: Zimbabwe Women 197 (Biza 62; Charani 4-23, Gaud 3-42) lost to India Women 200/1 (Rawal 100*, Verma 64*) by 9 wickets. With Shafali trapping captain Nomvelo Sibanda LBW and Kranti having Biza caught at mid-off, breaking of that 40-run stand set off a collapse of three wickets for three runs.
