Mandhana applauds Harmanpreet after eighth ODI century in Vadodara
Smriti Mandhana gave Harmanpreet Kaur a standing ovation at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on Sunday, October 25, 2026, after Harmanpreet reached her eighth Women's ODI century during India’s second match against Zimbabwe. The experienced batter’s knock helped India recover from an early collapse in that fixture.
Mandhana and Harmanpreet have been subject to media attention amid reports of differences between the two players after Mandhana succeeded Harmanpreet as captain, and speculation about a strained relationship has attracted notice. The on-field gesture on Sunday interrupted that narrative, with cameras capturing Mandhana rising to applaud her former captain following the milestone.
Harmanpreet brought up her century in the 41st over, reaching the landmark off 101 balls as the dressing room erupted in applause; she kept her celebrations understated, exchanging a handshake with Deepti Sharma before returning to the crease. The moment was also shared on social media by BCCI Women, who tweeted: "Vadodara rises to applaud a Harmanpreet Kaur special Updates https://t.co/ECnfLgdfi7 #TeamIndia | #INDvZIM | @mflone_ | @ImHarmanpreet https://t.co/YoEXIqHJtz"— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) October 25, 2026.
The century was Harmanpreet’s first ODI hundred on home soil since her century against South Africa in June 2024, and it moved her past former India captain Mithali Raj in the list of Indian batters with the most Women’s ODI centuries; Smriti Mandhana remains ahead with 14 hundreds. The landmark altered the statistical pecking order among India’s leading batters.
Harmanpreet finished on 126 off 121 balls, striking 15 fours before Michelle Mavunga ended her innings. The Zimbabwe bowler delivered a slower, fuller ball that tempted Harmanpreet into an ambitious down-the-ground shot; the batter mistimed it off the bottom half of her bat and substitute fielder Kudzai Chigora completed the catch at long-off.
India had been in trouble at 19 for 2 after the early dismissals of Mandhana and Shafali Verma, but Harmanpreet steadied the innings with Pratika Rawal, the pair adding a 124-run partnership for the third wicket. After Rawal and Tejal Hasabnis left in quick succession, Harmanpreet combined with Deepti Sharma to keep India’s innings moving.
Harmanpreet also received a reprieve on 67 when she struck a full toss in the air toward short midwicket and Josephine Nkomo failed to hold the catch. Combining patience with attacking strokes, she found gaps and punished loose deliveries to reach the century, and the inning was described in the match report as demonstrating her composure under pressure and ability to guide India through a difficult phase.
The century followed recent form in the shorter format: in the third T20I against Zimbabwe on October 20, Harmanpreet had been unbeaten on 91 off 41 balls, including 10 fours and five sixes, to help India post 216/7 and secure a 92-run victory; that knock earned her the Player of the Match award and contributed to India completing a 3-0 T20I series sweep.