India women survive Zimbabwe scare with 4-wicket win in 1st T20I after Deepti-Niki's rescue act

Smriti Mandhana-led India women managed to eke out a hard-fought four-wicket win against Zimbabwe women in the first T20I, at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur, witnessing its very first women's international fixture. For Smriti Mandhana, stepping out to lead India as a full-time captain marked a monumental career milestone. Expectations were high, and the home crowd anticipated a dominant, straightforward win against a visiting Zimbabwe side.

India women dodge upset bullet with 4-wicket win over Zimbabwe in 1st T20I

On paper, restricting Zimbabwe to a modest total of 115 runs should have been a comfortable stepping stone for the hosts. However, cricket is rarely played on paper alone. What transpired over the course of the evening was a gripping, nerve-wracking contest that tested India’s resolve, exposed early vulnerabilities, and ultimately demanded grit, poise, and exceptional temperament to pull off a four-wicket win with 26 balls to spare.

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Zimbabwe's resilient batting

Invited to bat first in their historic maiden international encounter against India, Zimbabwe encountered an immediate setback. Kranti Gaud struck in the opening over, trapping Beloved Biza leg-before-wicket to give the hosts a dream start.

Yet, Zimbabwe refused to fold. Opener Kelis Ndhlovu dug in, anchoring the innings with remarkable composure. Whenever width was on offer, she capitalized, and she expertly neutralized the spin threat of Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma by deploying the sweep shot effectively. Teaming up with wicketkeeper Modester Mupachikwa, Ndhlovu forged a stabilizing 53-run partnership that kept the scoreboard ticking.

Following the mid-innings drinks break, India struck back when N Shree Charani dismissed Mupachikwa via a sharp caught-and-bowl dismissal. Enter Sharne Mayers, who injected immediate urgency into the innings. Mayers played with aggressive intent, lofting Deepti Sharma over mid-off and dispatching Shafali Verma over long-on for a towering maximum.

Drama unfolded when Arundhati Reddy seemingly had Ndhlovu caught by Niki Prasad at long-off. Ndhlovu began her walk back to the pavilion, only for the television umpire to intervene and recall her after replays showed the ball had touched the turf. However, justice for the bowler was swift; a delivery later, Reddy cleaned up Ndhlovu with a dipping full toss for a well-made 42.

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Nanani Sharma pick of the bowlers for India

Mayers then unleashed a late-innings assault against Reddy in the 18th over, collecting a maximum and consecutive boundaries to push Zimbabwe past the 100-run mark. Although Nandani Sharma claimed two wickets in two balls during the final over, Zimbabwe had posted 114 for 5. It was an under-par score, but given the shifting pitch dynamics, it would soon prove enough to rattle the tournament favorites.

India’s top-order collapse

The chase began with explosive promise. Mandhana and Shafali attacked Tendai Makusha’s opening over, carting 14 runs off it. Mandhana launched a short delivery over mid-wicket before benefiting from a misfield by Sharne Mayers at deep third. When Shafali capped the over with a crisp drive through cover-point, it felt like a routine victory was well underway.

However, modern T20 strategies often involve deploying offspin early against left-handed openers, and Zimbabwe reaped immediate dividends. Nyasha Gwanzura introduced herself with a short ball on middle. Mandhana attempted to pull it over square leg but managed only a top-edge, safely pouched by Makusha inside the ring.

The collapse snowballed rapidly. Shortly after Anushka Sharma cut a shortish delivery through point, Gwanzura tempted her with a flighted delivery, resulting in a thin slice to backward point. Former captain Harmanpreet Kaur then fell cheaply, whipping a full-length delivery straight to mid-wicket off Michelle Mavunga's slingy action.

When Gwanzura trapped Shafali caught-and-bowled at the start of the fourth over, India’s scorecard read an abysmal 19 for 4 after just 19 balls. The packed Raipur stadium sat in stunned silence. The baptism by fire for Mandhana’s captaincy had turned into a full-scale crisis.

Prasad and Deepti’s Rescue Mission gets India past finish line

With the cream of India’s batting pavilion-bound, debutant Niki Prasad walked out to the crease to join forces with senior all-rounder Deepti Sharma. Having received her maiden India cap from Mandhana earlier in the day, Prasad began her international career with four consecutive dot balls, absorbing immense pressure.

Slowly but surely, the duo stopped the bleeding. Prasad focused on rotating the strike and giving Deepti the license to take charge. Deepti responded by heaving Mavunga over forward square leg, followed by back-to-back boundaries off Gwanzura as the powerplay drew to a close.

As her innings progressed, Prasad showcased the technical elegance and composure that made her a standout star during the India A series against Australia A, drawing parallels to her stellar WPL debut knock for Delhi Capitals in 2025. She punched Francisca Chipare through mid-wicket for her maiden international boundary, then followed it with a textbook push-drive through extra cover. Requiring no unnecessary extravagance, the stroke was a masterclass in weight transfer and timing against a length ball.

When Deepti and Prasad plundered 15 runs off leg-spinner Olinder Chare’s over in the 10th over, India were firmly back in control. Deepti looked destined for a half-century, punishing Mavunga with a hat-trick of boundaries, before a top-edged sweep resulted in her dismissal. Richa Ghosh fell shortly after, just two balls after launching Beloved Biza for a massive six.

Despite the late hiccups, Prasad maintained her composure, anchoring the chase with veteran maturity. She remained unbeaten at the crease, shepherding India across the finish line and sealing a hard-fought four-wicket win.

When and where to watch IND W vs ZIM W 2nd T20I?

The second T20I of the series between India Women and Zimbabwe Women is scheduled for Sunday, October 18, 2026. The match will take place at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, kicking off at 7:00 PM IST (with the toss taking place half an hour prior at 6:30 PM IST). For fans wanting to catch all the action live from home, the match will be broadcasted on television across the Star Sports Network. If you prefer streaming online, live coverage will be available via the JioHotstar app and website. Additionally, spectators attending the venue in person can take advantage of free entry for women spectators, an initiative introduced by the state administration to encourage a strong turnout during the festive season.