Zimbabwe Women complete landmark tour of India
VADODARA – Zimbabwe Women have completed their first tour of India, a six match series that was the first bilateral contest between the two countries’ women’s teams.
India won the final ODI in Vadodara by eight wickets, completing 3-0 victories in both the ODI series, which counted towards the ICC Women’s Championship, and the earlier T20I series in Raipur.
For African women’s cricket, the tour was a rare opportunity to play a full bilateral series against one of the world’s leading sides in their home conditions.
In the final match, Zimbabwe chose to bat and were bowled out for 131 in 39.5 overs. They were 30 for three after 10 overs before wicketkeeper Modester Mupachikwa made 37 and captain Josephine Nkomo scored 35 to help steady the innings.
However, from 95 for four, Zimbabwe lost their last six wickets for 36 runs. Left arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma took five for 39.
India reached their target in 17 overs, with Pratika Rawal unbeaten on 59 and Shafali Verma scoring 51. Nomvelo Sibanda dismissed Yastika Bhatia with the first ball of the chase, while Loryn Phiri removed Harleen Deol.
Zimbabwe’s most competitive result came in the first T20I in Raipur. They posted 115 for five, forcing India to lose six wickets before reaching the target with 26 balls to spare.
Beloved Biza’s 62 in the first ODI was the highest individual score by a Zimbabwe player on the tour, while the team’s best total was 207 in the second ODI.
India’s batters dominated the series. Pratika Rawal was named Player of the Series after scoring an unbeaten century in the first ODI. Harmanpreet Kaur scored 126 and Deepti Sharma made an unbeaten 106 in the second match.
The three ODIs counted towards the ICC Women’s Championship, which forms part of the qualification pathway for the 2029 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.
