India women beat Zimbabwe by 121 runs in Vadodara to take ODI series 2-0

The Indian women's team beat Zimbabwe by 121 runs in the second ODI of the series at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara. With the win, India took an unassailable 2-0 lead and clinched the series.

Captain Smriti Mandhana won the toss and chose to bat. Mandhana and Pratika Rawal opened the innings, but India suffered a big blow on the fourth ball of the first over. With the score at just 1, Mandhana was out without scoring. The second wicket fell at 19, with Shafali Verma returning after making 8 off 8 balls.

Harmanpreet Kaur and Pratika Rawal then steadied the innings and carried the partnership past 100. Pratika was out for 61 off 67 balls, dismissed by Nyasha Gwanzura. Tejal Hasabnis then fell for just 3, out to Olinder Chare.

Harmanpreet and Deepti Sharma then took the innings forward. Harmanpreet batted superbly to score a century, making 126 off 121 balls. It is her first century since giving up the captaincy. Even after Harmanpreet's dismissal, Deepti kept attacking. She completed a blazing century off just 86 balls and remained not out on 106.

Thanks to these innings from Harmanpreet and Deepti, India posted a big total of 328 for 6 in 50 overs. For Zimbabwe, Sibanda took 2 wickets, while Makusha, Maunga, Gwanzura and Chare took one each.

After the batting, the bowlers were responsible for containing Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe's first wicket fell at 38 in the 9th over. The openers batted patiently, so the second wicket fell only in the 23rd over, at 107. Chipo Tripano (46) and Modester Mupachikwa (49) put on 69 for the second wicket. Both fell to Vaishnavi Sharma.

After their dismissals, no one in the middle order played a big innings except Bilwad Bizha (34). The whole Zimbabwe side was bowled out for 207.

Vaishnavi took 4 wickets for 39 runs, while all-rounder Deepti took 3 for 32. Shree Charani, Saili Satghare and Jintimani Kalita took one wicket each. India thus won the match and the series.