Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma delivered an extraordinary batting performance, hitting 15 boundaries each to lead India Women to a commanding 121-run victory over Zimbabwe Women. By reaching her eighth One Day International century, former captain Harmanpreet surpassed Mithali Raj’s record for India. The duo put together a dominant 153-run partnership, setting up a total of 328/6 in 50 overs that effectively sealed the series win for the hosts. The ex-captain and Deepti hit 15 fours each in a batting masterclass that sent Zimbabwe fielders on a leather hunt for half the evening as they conceded a 328. Any joy they had with breakthroughs were brief as this pair piled on a 153-run stand. Leading to India’s massive victory, the Zimbabwean chase was wrapped up in the 49th over.
India encountered early trouble after captain Smriti Mandhana won the toss and opted to bat. Mandhana was removed by Nomvelo Sibanda after facing just two balls in the opening over, and Sibanda struck again in the third over to dismiss Shafali Verma, leaving India reeling at 19/2. However, opener Pratika Rawal and Harmanpreet stabilized the innings with a 124-run recovery stand. The pair accelerated smoothly through the powerplay and middle overs, bringing up India’s 68/2 in 10 overs before Rawal reached a brisk half-century in the 19th over.
Harmanpreet soon completed her own fifty, but the partnership was broken when Rawal was caught by Beloved Biza at deep midwicket for 61 off 67 balls. India quickly lost Tejal Hasabnis, bringing Deepti Sharma to the crease alongside Harmanpreet. Capitalizing on three dropped catches, Harmanpreet reached her hundred in the 41st over before Kudzai Chigora held onto a chance to dismiss her for a 121-ball 126. Deepti continued the onslaught, racing to a 37-ball fifty and finishing unbeaten on 106 off 86 balls after reaching her century in the final over. Deepti raced to a 37-ball fifty and the pair set India up for a flourish in the death. Substitute fielder Kudzai Chigora held the fourth opportunity and Harmanpreet exited for a 121-ball 126.
Zimbabwe’s response got off to a slow start, with opener Loryn Phiri taking 22 balls to score six runs before being dismissed by Shree Charani in the 23rd over. Modester Mupachikwa (49) and Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano (46) offered the only sustained resistance for the visitors, combining for a second-wicket stand of 69 runs. However, once Sayali Satghare bowled Tiripano, Zimbabwe’s chase quickly faltered, causing them to collapse from 107/2 to 168/5 as the required run rate climbed out of reach. There was a short period of time in this game where Zimbabwe didn’t look completely out of sorts. Falling well behind the eight-ball, they went from 107/2 to 168/5.
Twenty-year-old left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma tore through the middle order, taking 4-39 to derail the chase. Deepti complemented her starring role with the bat by taking 3-32 with the ball, claiming the wickets of Nyasha Gwanzura, Sibanda, and Tendai Makusha. Sibanda finished as Zimbabwe’s best bowler with 2-38. The visitors were eventually bowled out for 207 in 48.5 overs, handing India a decisive series victory. Giving 20-year-old left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma a four-wicket haul, zimbabwe batters got starts but couldn’t keep up with the mounting asking rate and fell away.
