Pratika Rawal Leads India to Nine-Wicket Win Over Zimbabwe

The Indian women's cricket team secured a dominant nine-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the first ODI of the three-match series on October 23, 2026, at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara. Opening batter Pratika Rawal starred in the one-sided encounter by scoring an unbeaten century to guide her side to a comfortable triumph and a 1-0 lead in the series.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, the Zimbabwe women's team struggled to post a formidable total on the board. The visitors were eventually bowled out for 197 runs in 49.5 overs, failing to challenge the Indian bowling attack effectively.

Chasing a target of 198 runs, the Indian batting lineup displayed exceptional control. Opening batter Pratika Rawal took charge of the innings, remaining resilient at the crease until the end to ensure victory for her team. Following the dismissal of Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma joined Rawal at the crease.

Verma played a crucial and aggressive knock, finishing unbeaten with 64 runs off just 29 balls. Her explosive innings included multiple boundaries and sixes, ramping up the scoring rate and bringing up a fifty-run partnership with Rawal along the way.

Pratika Rawal reached her milestone in style during the 27th over, hitting her third ODI century with a magnificent lofted shot over mid-on. Rawal finished her stellar knock with 100 runs from 96 deliveries, earning the Player of the Match award for her performance.

With Rawal anchoring the innings and Verma finishing things off in style with a boundary, the Indian women's team chased down the target in just 27.1 overs, finishing at 200 for the loss of a single wicket.

Ahead of this opening match, the Indian squad underwent a late roster change. Fast bowler Renuka Singh Thakur was ruled out of the ODI series to focus on workload management and bowling volume at the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru. Twenty-two-year-old fast bowler Jintimani Kalita was named as her replacement in the squad.

The ongoing series marks Smriti Mandhana's first assignment as the full-time ODI captain, having taken over the leadership role from Harmanpreet Kaur. The second and third matches of the series will provide further opportunities for the team to solidify their form under the new leadership.