Raipur: India secured a thrilling four-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the first women’s T20 international on Friday, chasing down a target of 115 despite an early batting collapse. Deepti Sharma and debutant Nikki Prasad anchored the innings with a crucial partnership to guide India to victory.
Chasing 115, India were in deep trouble at 19 for four. However, Deepti and Nikki joined forces to put the innings back on track, adding 82 runs for the fifth wicket in a match-defining stand.
Deepti scored 49 runs before falling just short of a half-century, while Nikki remained unbeaten on 39. Their partnership helped India reach 116 for six in 15.4 overs to seal the win.
Winning start for captain Smriti Mandhana
Smriti Mandhana began her full-time captaincy stint with a victory. However, she expressed disappointment with India’s top-order performance after the team lost four wickets for just 19 runs.
The win gives India a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20 series against Zimbabwe.
The second match will be played in Raipur on October 18, with India looking to extend their lead in the series.
