India completed a 3-0 T20I series sweep over Zimbabwe with a 92-run win in Raipur on Tuesday. India chose to bat first and scored 216 for 7. Zimbabwe were then restricted to 124 for 7.
Harmanpreet Kaur was the star for India. She scored an unbeaten 91 off 41 balls. It was her second-highest T20I score. Her highest is 103 against New Zealand in 2018. This was her first fifty-plus score since making 56 against Australia at the T20 World Cup in June. It was also her first half-century after giving up the captaincy. Shafali Verma also batted well. She made 69 off 37 balls. The two shared an 84-run partnership for the third wicket.
India captain Smriti Mandhana did not open in this match. She wanted to give the middle order more time. Anushka Sharma opened with Shafali. They put on 54 runs for the first wicket. Anushka scored 28 off 20 balls. Niki Prasad made nine.
India were 91 for 2 at the halfway stage. Then Shafali and Harmanpreet took control. Shafali hit six fours and five sixes. Harmanpreet hit 10 fours and five sixes. Nandani Sharma took 3 for 18 for India. Kranti Gaud, Niki Prasad, Arundhati Reddy, and Deepti Sharma took one wicket each.
The win gave Mandhana a perfect first T20I series as India’s full-time captain. India will now prepare for the Champions Trophy next February.
Praises India’s Bowling Depth Ahead of Women’s Champions Trophy After Zimbabwe T20I Sweep
India captain Smriti Mandhana is happy with how her team is shaping up for the Champions Trophy. The tournament will be held in India next February. It will be the first Women’s Champions Trophy and will feature six teams.
India prepared for the event by beating Zimbabwe 3-0 in a T20I series at home. The last match was in Raipur on Tuesday. India won that game by 92 runs. The series gave Mandhana a chance to try different combinations. She used six different bowlers across the three matches. Nandani Sharma took six wickets. Kranti Gaud and Niki Prasad took three each.
Mandhana said the bowling options look good. She pointed out that dew will be a big factor in the coming months. The Champions Trophy will also be played in similar conditions. So having more bowling choices is helpful. She said she is pleased with how Niki, Shafali, and others contributed.
Another good sign for India was Harmanpreet Kaur’s form. The former captain scored an unbeaten 91 in the final match. It was her first big innings since giving up the captaincy to Mandhana. Harmanpreet hit five sixes and ten fours in her 41-ball knock. She said she feels no pressure now. She said she just wants to enjoy her batting. She was happy that the runs came.
The first T20I was on October 16 in Raipur, where India won by four wickets. The second T20I was on October 18, where India won by nine wickets. And the third T20I was on October 20, where India won by 92 runs.
…How WPL Success and Talent Spotting Shaped Her India Captaincy
Smriti Mandhana has been a proven leader before becoming India’s full-time captain. She won two WPL titles in three seasons with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Meanwhile, India failed to get past the group stages in the 2024 and 2026 T20 World Cups. That made a strong case for giving her the top job.
Mandhana also pushed to use Radha Yadav more as a batter. Before 2026, Radha was seen mainly as a left-arm spinner and a good fielder. Her highest WPL score was just 27. Mandhana had seen enough of her in domestic cricket to believe she could bat at number six. RCB hired a ground in Mumbai so Radha could work on her range-hitting. In the WPL 2026 final, Radha scored an unbeaten 12 off five balls. That helped RCB chase down 204 with two balls to spare.
These decisions show how Mandhana thinks. In 2023, after a poor first WPL season, she gave up a lucrative Women’s Big Bash deal. She chose to play in the Indian domestic season instead. She wanted to judge local talent herself rather than rely on others’ opinions.
As India captain, Mandhana faces new challenges. She will need to work with a selection panel. She will also need to create an environment where Harmanpreet Kaur can thrive. Former captains can find it hard when they are no longer the main decision-maker. But people who have worked with Mandhana praise her people skills.
FAQs
Q. Who won the India vs Zimbabwe women’s T20I series?
A. India defeated Zimbabwe 3-0 in the T20I series.
Q. How many runs did Harmanpreet Kaur score in the third T20I?
A. Harmanpreet scored an unbeaten 91 off 41 balls.
Q. Who was India’s highest wicket-taker in the third T20I?
A. Nandani Sharma took three wickets for 18 runs.
Q. How did India perform in the three T20Is against Zimbabwe?
A. India won the matches by four wickets, nine wickets, and 92 runs.
Q. When will the Women’s Champions Trophy take place?
A. The Women’s Champions Trophy is scheduled to be held in India next February.
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