Shafali Verma 25-ball 55, Mandhana 47* as India beat Zimbabwe by nine wickets in Raipur
India defeated Zimbabwe by nine wickets in the second women's T20I of the three-match series in Raipur on Sunday, October 18, 2026, chasing 103 in 8.5 overs. The win left India with an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
Zimbabwe, having elected to bat, were restricted to 102 for eight as Indian bowlers produced a collective effort to keep the total low. Pacer Nandani Sharma castled opener Kelis Ndhlovu for an 11-ball duck as the tourists managed just 20 runs in the Power Play and only one boundary in that period. Beloved Biza was dismissed two balls after the Power Play, adding to Zimbabwe's early problems.
India’s openers put the chase beyond doubt with a 96-run stand. Shafali Verma clobbered a 25-ball 55 and, according to the match report, reached her fifty in 26 balls by clearing off-spinner Beloved Biza for a six; it was her 22nd half-century in T20Is. Smriti Mandhana remained unbeaten on 47, peeled off four boundaries in a row off Nyasha Gwanzura, and finished the innings with an inside-out six off Olinder Chare; Michelle Mavunga conceded 4, 4, 6 in successive deliveries to the Indian opener.
Zimbabwe’s most productive period came in the middle overs when Josephine Nkomo (27 not out) and Chipo Tiripano (34 off 32 balls) put together a 45-run fourth-wicket partnership. Tiripano, who received reprieves on scores of 20 and 22, struck two reverse-swept fours off premier left-arm spinner Shree Charani as that stand yielded seven boundaries. The visitors added 56 runs between overs seven and 15 before the partnership was broken.
Niki Prasad finished with figures of 2 for 7 after inducing an edge from Tiripano that was pouched by stumper Richa Ghosh, and she also trapped Nyasha Gwanzura in front to come close to a hat-trick without completing it. Those dismissals curtailed Zimbabwe’s recovery and swung momentum firmly to India.
The victory also marked the start of Smriti Mandhana’s full-time captaincy with a series win already secured. With the three-match contest decided in India’s favour, the hosts will enter the final fixture holding an unassailable 2-0 lead.
