Now Reading: Rawal Ton and Shafali Blitz Hand Mandhana Winning Start as India Women Crush Zimbabwe
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Rawal Ton and Shafali Blitz Hand Mandhana Winning Start as India Women Crush Zimbabwe
India Women opened their ODI series against Zimbabwe Women with a statement. A nine-wicket win at the Baroda Cricket Stadium gave new captain Smriti Mandhana a victory in her first ODI in charge. Pratika Rawal’s century and Shafali Verma’s fireworks made the chase look easy.
Mandhana Starts Captaincy Era With a Win
The India Women ODI leg of the home series began in dominant fashion. Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bat, but India’s bowlers soon took control.
The result puts India 1-0 up in the series. It also gave Mandhana the perfect start to her tenure as ODI skipper.
Zimbabwe Bundled Out for 197
Zimbabwe showed plenty of fight with the bat, but they never built a big enough platform. They were dismissed for 197, well short of a competitive total on this surface.
Biza Leads the Resistance
Beloved Biza top-scored with 62 off 92 balls. Keeper-batter Modester Mupachikwa chipped in with 25. Michelle Mavunga added a late 29 to push the total closer to 200.
Charani and Gaud Spark the Collapse
Shree Charani was the pick of the Indian bowlers with 4 for 23 from her ten overs. Three of those overs were maidens. Her middle-over breakthroughs stopped Zimbabwe from ever settling.
Kranti Gaud backed her up with three wickets to complete the squeeze.
Rawal Powers a Comfortable Chase
India’s chase of 198 looked smooth from the first over. Pratika Rawal, back in the side, set the tone with an unbeaten century.
A 94-Run Opening Stand
Rawal and Mandhana put on 94 for the opening wicket. That stand took the pressure off early and left Zimbabwe chasing the game.
Shafali Verma Finishes It in Style
Shafali Verma walked in after Mandhana’s dismissal and went straight on the attack. She smashed 64 off just 33 balls and ended the match with a boundary.
She and Rawal added an unbeaten 106 off only 70 balls. India got home with 22.5 overs to spare.
Match Snapshot
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Result | India Women won by 9 wickets |
| Zimbabwe Women | 197 all out |
| Top scorer (ZIM) | Beloved Biza, 62 off 92 |
| Best bowler (IND) | Shree Charani, 4/23 (10 overs) |
| Top scorer (IND) | Pratika Rawal, 100* off 96 (15 fours) |
| Fastest knock | Shafali Verma, 64 off 33 |
| Opening stand | 94 (Rawal and Mandhana) |
| Unbeaten stand | 106 off 70 balls (Rawal and Shafali) |
| Overs remaining | 22.5 |
Records and Milestones
Two personal landmarks stood out in Vadodara. Charani’s 4 for 23 is a career-best ODI bowling return. Rawal’s unbeaten 100 off 96 balls is her third ODI century.
Analysis: Rawal’s hundred anchored the chase, while Shafali’s 33-ball blitz ended any chance of a Zimbabwe comeback.
Player of the Match
Rawal was named Player of the Match for a knock that formed the base of India’s chase. Her 15 fours kept the scoreboard moving, and her two big partnerships left Zimbabwe with no way back.
What Comes Next
The second ODI is on Sunday, October 25, at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Vadodara. India will aim to seal the series, while Zimbabwe need a quick response.
Zimbabwe’s batters showed they can compete, but they will need to convert starts into bigger scores. For India, the opening combination and the middle-over bowling look in excellent shape.
