India Women got their ODI leg of the home series against Zimbabwe Women off to a dominant start, sealing a nine-wicket victory over the visitors at the Baroda Cricket Stadium. This gave new captain Smriti Mandhana a victory in her first ODI match in charge of the team.
Electing to bat first after winning the toss, Zimbabwe were bundled out for 197 despite much resistance shown by their batters. Beloved Biza top-scored with 62 off 92 balls, with keeper-batter Modester Mupachikwa's 25 and Michelle Mavunga's late 29 being the other significant contributions. Shree Charani was the pick of the Indian bowlers, finishing with figures of 4 for 23, with Kranti Gaud also taking three wickets.
India's chase of 198 looked comfortable from the get-go. The returning Pratika Rawal motored the chase with a fabulous unbeaten century, and was ably supported by captain Mandhana in an opening stand of 94 runs. The in-form Shafali Verma made her way to the crease after Mandhana fell, scoring a quickfire 33-ball 64 and finishing the game off with a boundary. With Pratika, she stitched an unbeaten 106-run stand off just 70 balls, guiding the Indian side home with 22.5 overs remaining. With the victory, India takes a 1-0 lead in the series.
Top batting performance of the match: Pratika Rawal
Pratika Rawal was the standout performer with the bat for the Indian side in this clash. The opener scored a magnificent unbeaten century off 96 balls, hitting 15 fours in her knock. She shared two significant partnerships of note, first a 94-run stand with captain Smriti Mandhana, and then a 106-run partnership with Shafali Verma. Her innings formed the backbone of the Indian chase.
Top bowling performance of the match: N Shree Charani
One of India's key strike bowlers in the recent past, Shree Charani was once again in the act against Zimbabwe, taking figures of 4 for 23 from ten overs. Her breakthroughs in the middle overs ensured the Zimbabwe side would never settle and were eventually bundled out for just 197. She also bowled three maidens in her spell, underlining her ability to control the run-flow.
Records Broken and Major Milestones Achieved
- 4-23 - Career-best ODI bowling figures for N Shree Charani.
- 100* (96) - Third ODI century for Pratika Rawal.
Who won the Player of the Match?
Pratika Rawal was named Player of the Match for her stellar century, which formed the base of India's chase in Vadodara.
When's the next match?
The second ODI between India Women and Zimbabwe Women will happen on Sunday, October 25 at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Vadodara.
