New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): India produced a dominant all-round performance to defeat Zimbabwe by 121 runs in the second women’s ODI on Sunday, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur and all-rounder Deepti Sharma scoring magnificent centuries.
Batting first, India posted 328 for six before bowling Zimbabwe out for 207 in 48.5 overs to take control of the match.
Harmanpreet led the charge with a blistering 126 off 121 balls, registering her eighth century in women’s ODIs. Her innings featured 15 boundaries and helped India build a formidable total after the team had made a steady start.
Deepti provided equally valuable support, remaining unbeaten on 106 off 86 deliveries. She also struck 15 fours, ensuring India maintained their scoring momentum through the latter stages of the innings.
Pratika Rawal Continues Strong Form
Opener Pratika Rawal continued her impressive run with the bat, scoring 61 off 67 balls. Having registered a century in the opening match, she once again gave India a solid platform at the top of the order.
After India lost wickets in the middle overs, Harmanpreet and Deepti combined to put the innings back on track. The pair added 153 runs for the fifth wicket, turning the innings into a commanding total of 328 for six.
Their partnership proved decisive, with both batters finding the boundary regularly and preventing Zimbabwe from making a comeback.
Zimbabwe Fall Short In 329-Run Chase
Chasing 329, Zimbabwe struggled to keep pace with the required run rate despite useful contributions from Modester Mupachikwa and Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano.
Mupachikwa top-scored for Zimbabwe with 49, while Mugeri-Tiripano added 46. However, the rest of the batting line-up could not provide the partnerships needed to challenge India’s total.
Vaishnavi Sharma was the standout bowler for India, claiming four wickets for 39 runs as Zimbabwe were dismissed for 207 in 48.5 overs.
India’s 121-run victory was built on a strong batting display, highlighted by centuries from Harmanpreet and Deepti, followed by an effective bowling performance to seal the result.
Brief Scores:
- India: 328/6 — Harmanpreet Kaur 126, Deepti Sharma 106 not out, Pratika Rawal 61; Nomvelo Sibanda 2/38.
- Zimbabwe: 207 all out in 48.5 overs — Modester Mupachikwa 49, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano 46; Vaishnavi Sharma 4/39.
