India Women seal ODI series as Deepti, Harmanpreet, Vaishnavi sink Zimbabwe

India women secured a decisive 121-run victory over Zimbabwe in the second One Day International held in Vadodara on Sunday, October 25. This result granted the hosts an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. The contest took place at the BCA Stadium, where India posted 328 for six in their allotted 50 overs. Zimbabwe subsequently collapsed to 207 in 48.5 overs, falling well short of the target. The Indian innings started under pressure after captains Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma were dismissed quickly, leaving the team at 19 for two. Harmanpreet Kaur and Pratika Rawal stabilized the situation with a composed partnership. They rotated the strike effectively and capitalized on loose deliveries to rebuild the score. Both batters reached fifty as India passed the 100-run mark. Their 124-run stand for the third wicket provided crucial stability. Rawal was eventually dismissed for 61 off 67 balls, caught by Beloved Biza after attempting a slog sweep against Nyasha Gwanzura. Tejal Hasabnis followed shortly after, managing just three runs before being caught by Michelle Mavunga off Olinder Chare. With the score at 145 for four, Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma formed a pivotal 153-run partnership for the fifth wicket. This alliance combined steady accumulation with aggressive strokeplay. Harmanpreet anchored the chase, reaching her century off 100 balls. This marked her eighth ODI hundred. She ultimately finished with a score of 126 off 121 deliveries, striking 15 fours. Mandhana applauded her captain’s milestone on the field. Deepti Sharma accelerated the scoring after Harmanpreet’s departure, utilizing effective sweep shots against spin and finding gaps through the off-side. Vaishnavi Sharma returned to the ODI lineup with a standout bowling performance. She claimed four wickets to restrict Zimbabwe’s chase. The visitors were bowled out for 207 in 48.5 overs. This victory extends India’s dominance following their recent sweep of the T20I series. Mandhana has now recorded five consecutive wins since taking over as full-time captain. The teams will meet again in the final ODI of the series. India aims to complete a clean sweep before shifting focus to their upcoming tour of South Africa. The match concluded with India maintaining control throughout the middle overs, despite early setbacks. Zimbabwe failed to capitalize on the early dismissals, allowing the Indian top order to dictate the tempo. The final scoreline reflects the disparity in performance between the two sides on the day.