Harmanpreet and Deepti Hit Centuries as India Crush Zimbabwe to Seal ODI Series

India turned a wobbly start into a statement win in Vadodara. Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma both hit centuries, and debutant-level calm from Vaishnavi Sharma did the rest with the ball. The 121-run victory over Zimbabwe gives India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.

India Recover From a Shaky Start

It began badly for the hosts. Smriti Mandhana fell for a duck in the opening over, pulling a shortish delivery that held in the surface and offering a catch to short third.

Shafali Verma followed in the third over. She pulled firmly towards midwicket, where Nyasha Gwanzura took a low catch. India were 19 for 2.

Harmanpreet and Rawal Steady the Ship

Harmanpreet Kaur began positively, cutting Sibanda past point and driving Tendai Makusha between cover and mid-off. Pratika Rawal was watchful outside off stump, then gradually expanded her range.

Rawal shovelled Makusha over long-on for six and later lofted Phiri over mid-off. Those were India’s only sixes of the innings. She reached her ninth ODI fifty off 57 balls, and Harmanpreet soon followed with her own half-century.

Their 124-run partnership restored India’s innings. Then Zimbabwe struck twice in eight deliveries.

Zimbabwe Fight Back, Then Deepti Takes Over

Rawal was caught by Beloved Biza near the deep midwicket boundary off Gwanzura in the 23rd over, out for 61 off 67 balls. Next over, Tejal Hasabnis slogged at legspinner Olinder Chare and Michelle Mavunga ran back to take an excellent catch at mid-on. India were 149 for 4.

Deepti Sharma immediately put the spinners under pressure. She swept from outside off, pulled anything short and cut through point whenever width appeared.

A Record Fifth-Wicket Stand

Deepti raced from 16 to 55 in just 23 balls and reached her fifty off 40 deliveries. Harmanpreet rotated the strike between boundaries, finding gaps square of the wicket and driving through the off side.

Together they added 155 for the fifth wicket, a record partnership for India at that position in women’s ODIs.

Two Centuries, Plenty of Drama

Zimbabwe’s fielding, sharp early on, faltered late. Captain Josephine Nkomo dropped Harmanpreet at short midwicket on 68, and further chances went down.

Harmanpreet reached her eighth ODI hundred off 102 balls in the 41st over, paddling Biza fine for two. Both batters needed physio attention in the tough conditions. She fell in the 47th over, toe-ending a lofted shot, after hitting 15 fours in her 126 off 121 balls.

Deepti Finishes in Style

Deepti entered the final over on 97. She reached her hundred by sweeping Makusha for four, then hit the next ball to the boundary as well.

She finished unbeaten on 106 off 86 balls, with 15 fours. Her second ODI century came 3450 days after her maiden hundred in 2017, the second-longest gap between centuries in women’s ODIs. It was also the second-highest score by a batter at No. 6 or lower in the format.

India finished on 328 for 6.

Vaishnavi Sharma Dismantles the Chase

Chasing 329, Zimbabwe started briskly. Modester Mupachikwa cut Sayali Satghare for fours off the first two balls and kept punishing width from the seamers.

N Shree Charani removed Phiri for six in the ninth over. Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano then attacked the spinners, and she and Mupachikwa added 69 for the second wicket. Zimbabwe reached 107 for 1 in the 22nd over.

The Turning Point

Satghare bowled Mugeri-Tiripano for 46 in the 23rd over, beating her drive to hit off stump. Mupachikwa held on as the required rate climbed, until Vaishnavi Sharma, playing in place of the rested Kranti Gaud, dismissed her for 49 in the 28th over.

The left-arm spinner changed her angle and drew a sliced cut, and substitute Harleen Deol dived forward at backward point to take the catch. It was Vaishnavi’s first ODI wicket.

That sparked a superb spell. She varied pace and flight to dismiss Biza lbw for 34 after a successful India review, bowl Mavunga, and trap Nkomo lbw for 22. Deepti then took two wickets in successive deliveries in the 46th over, trapping Gwanzura lbw and having Sibanda caught by Hasabnis at slip.

What’s Next?

Zimbabwe were bowled out for 207 in 48.5 overs, 121 runs short. India now hold an unassailable 2-0 lead. The third and final ODI is at the same Vadodara venue on Wednesday, October 28.

With the series won, India can use the finale to give more players a look. Vaishnavi’s performance has already made a strong case for her place.