India defeated Zimbabwe by nine wickets in the second women’s T20I at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on Sunday, October 18. A superb half-century from opener Shafali Verma helped India chase down the target comfortably and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The victory also gave Smriti Mandhana a winning start to her tenure as India’s full-time captain. The Indian bowlers restricted Zimbabwe to 102/8 in 20 overs before the opening pair made light work of the chase.
Shafali Verma Leads India’s Dominant Chase
Chasing 103, Shafali Verma and captain Smriti Mandhana gave India a flying start, scoring 76 runs during the powerplay. Shafali began aggressively against Nyasha Gwanzura, hitting both a boundary and a six in the same over. Mandhana continued the attack in Gwanzura’s following over.
Shafali struck five boundaries against Gwanzura before taking on Michelle Mavunga in the sixth over, where she hit two fours and a six. She reached her half-century with another six in the eighth over but was dismissed by Beloved Biza for 55.
The innings marked Shafali’s ninth score of 50 or more in 2026, the highest tally by any player in a calendar year. Her partnership with Mandhana was also India’s ninth 50-plus opening stand in women’s T20Is in 2026, equalling the record for a calendar year.
Mandhana completed the chase with a six just six balls after Shafali’s dismissal. India reached the target in 8.5 overs, with 67 balls remaining. It was the most balls remaining in a successful chase of a target exceeding 100 runs in women’s T20Is.
Zimbabwe Manage 102/8 Despite a Late Fightback
Zimbabwe struggled from the beginning after choosing to bat first. Nandini Sharma dismissed opener Kelis Ndhlovu for a duck off 11 balls, leaving the visitors at 20/1 at the end of the powerplay.
The middle order failed to establish a steady partnership as Deepti Sharma and Kranti Gaud removed Beloved Biza and Sharne Mayers. Zimbabwe continued to lose momentum before Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano and captain Josephine Nkomo added 45 runs to provide some resistance.
Niki Prasad then made an immediate impact with the ball, taking wickets off the first two balls of her career. With the achievement, she became only the third player in men’s and women’s cricket to take two wickets in the first two balls of their career in the format.
Zimbabwe were reduced to 75/5 in 14.2 overs and managed to cross the 100-run mark only in the final over, finishing at 102/8 after 20 overs.
India Secure the Series with a Record-Breaking Win
Zimbabwe’s total proved insufficient against India’s aggressive batting approach. Shafali and Mandhana put the chase firmly under control during the powerplay, leaving the remaining target within easy reach.
India completed the nine-wicket victory with 67 balls to spare, sealing the three-match series 2-0 with one game remaining. The result also marked a successful beginning to Mandhana’s tenure as full-time captain.
Disclaimer: This article is based on the information available at the time of writing. Match details and statistics are presented for news and informational purposes and may be subject to updates or corrections.