Pratika Rawal’s unbeaten century drives India to nine-wicket win over Zimbabwe
Pratika Rawal scored an unbeaten 100 as India defeated Zimbabwe by nine wickets in the first ODI of the ICC Championship at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on Friday, October 23, 2026. Her unbroken 106-run partnership with Shafali Verma finished the chase inside 28 overs, leaving India with 137 balls to spare.
Exactly a year after Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana both hit centuries against New Zealand in Navi Mumbai on October 23, 2025, Rawal again raised her bat in Vadodara, this time with significant support from Shafali Verma. Zimbabwe elected to bat first on the red-soil pitch but found it difficult to accelerate, while India utilised tight lines and early swing to keep the scoring rate down.
Zimbabwe constructed three partnerships of more than 40 runs during their innings, with Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano and Modester Mupachikwa putting up resistance before 17-year-old Beloved Biza took charge and scored 62, her fourth ODI fifty. A brief but enterprising cameo from Michelle Mavunga helped the visitors push toward 200, but they ultimately missed that mark by three runs.
The match figures for the innings read: Zimbabwe 197 in 49.5 overs (Beloved Biza 62, N. Shree Charani 4/23, Kranti Gaud 3/42). India’s bowlers were aided at times by fielding lapses and occasional width, notably from Deepti Sharma and debutant Jintimani Kalita, but N. Shree Charani’s four wickets stood out as her best returns in the format.
India’s reply began with a 94-run opening stand between Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal that removed any early tension; Smriti was dismissed by Olinder Chare in the 16th over. Shafali Verma, representing the No. 3 position for only the second time in the format, then joined Rawal and the pair’s unbroken 106-run partnership completed the chase.
India reached 200/1 in 27.1 overs with Pratika Rawal 100 not out and Shafali Verma 64 not out. The win put India on the board with a victory in their opening ICC Championship fixture.
