Zimbabwe’s Innings – Ndhlovu and Mayers Fight

India won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision that looked justified when Arundhati Reddy dismissed Beloved Biza for a duck in the first over. However, Kelis Ndhlovu and Modester Mupachikwa steadied the ship with a 53-run partnership for the second wicket, taking Zimbabwe to 60 before Shree Charani broke the stand by dismissing Mupachikwa.Source: CricTracker

Ndhlovu continued to hold the innings together, reaching 42 off 44 balls before Arundhati Reddy dismissed her in the 15th over. Sharne Mayers then provided the late impetus, smashing an unbeaten 43 off 33 balls with four fours and two sixes. Her partnership with Chipo Mugeri helped Zimbabwe reach 114/5. Nandni Sharma was the pick of India’s bowlers, taking 2/11 including two wickets in the final over.Source: Pragativadi

India’s Top-Order Collapse

Chasing 115, India’s reply began in disastrous fashion. Smriti Mandhana fell for 9 off 6 balls in the second over, caught behind off Nyasha Gwanzura. Shafali Verma followed for 4, Anushka Sharma for 4, and Harmanpreet Kaur for 1 — all falling to Gwanzura and Tendai Makusha. At 18/4 inside the powerplay, India were in deep trouble.Source: ABP Live

Deepti and Niki’s Match-Winning Partnership

With the team reeling, Deepti Sharma and debutant Niki Prasad came together for a match-winning 76-run partnership off 55 balls. Deepti took the role of the aggressor, smashing eight fours in her 49 off 37 balls, while Niki played the perfect supporting role, rotating strike and finding the occasional boundary.Source: ABP Live

Deepti fell in the 13th over, just six runs short of a well-deserved half-century, and Richa Ghosh followed soon after for 7. But Niki Prasad held her nerve, finishing the match with a boundary through mid-off to remain unbeaten on 39 off 35 balls. India reached 116/6 in 15.4 overs, winning with 26 balls to spare.Source: ABP Live

Deepti Sharma was the architect of India’s recovery, scoring 49 off 37 balls with eight fours. She walked in when India were reeling at 18/4 and took charge of the innings, playing with composure and aggression in equal measure. Her partnership with Niki Prasad was the turning point of the match, and she narrowly missed out on a well-deserved half-century.Source: ABP Live

The 20-year-old Niki Prasad, who captained India to the U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup title in 2025, made a memorable T20I debut. She walked in at No. 5 with India in crisis and produced a composed unbeaten 39 off 35 balls, including six fours. She finished the match in style, driving Tendai Makusha through the gap for a boundary. Her partnership with Deepti Sharma was worth 76 runs and proved to be the difference.Source: Sportstar

Nandni Sharma was India’s most economical bowler, conceding just 11 runs in her four overs while picking up two crucial wickets in the final over. She dismissed Nyasha Gwanzura (stumped by Richa Ghosh) and Mitchelle Mavhunga (stumped) in successive deliveries to restrict Zimbabwe’s late charge. Her figures of 2/11 were the best by an Indian bowler in the match.Source: Pragativadi

Sharne Mayers was Zimbabwe’s standout batter, smashing an unbeaten 43 off 33 balls with four fours and two sixes. She provided the late impetus that lifted Zimbabwe from a modest total to a competitive one, scoring at a strike rate of 130.30. Her partnership with Chipo Mugeri helped Zimbabwe add 32 runs in the final five overs.Source: CricTracker

Nyasha Gwanzura produced the best bowling performance of the match, taking 3/26 in her four overs to trigger India’s dramatic top-order collapse. She dismissed Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, and Harmanpreet Kaur — the cream of India’s batting line-up — to leave the hosts reeling at 18/4. For a brief moment, she had Zimbabwe dreaming of an upset.Source: CricTracker