Shafali Verma smashed a 26-ball half-century as India defeated Zimbabwe by eight wickets in the third ODI in Vadodara. Pratika Rawal scored an unbeaten 59, while Vaishnavi Sharma claimed five wickets, helping India complete a dominant 3-0 series sweep.
India Women completed a commanding 3-0 One-Day International (ODI) series sweep against Zimbabwe Women after securing an eight-wicket victory in the third and final match at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on Wednesday. Shafali Verma produced a blistering half-century off just 26 balls, while Pratika Rawal remained unbeaten on 59 to guide India to a comfortable victory.
Chasing a modest target of 132, India reached 133 for two in just 17 overs, finishing the contest with 33 overs to spare. The victory capped an impressive performance by the Indian team, which had also won the T20I series during Zimbabwe’s tour.
Shafali’s explosive innings placed her among the fastest-scoring Indian women in ODI history. Her 26-ball half-century equalled Richa Ghosh’s record for the joint second-fastest ODI fifty by an Indian woman, achieved against New Zealand at Queenstown in 2022. Smriti Mandhana holds the record for the fastest such half-century, reaching the milestone in 23 balls against Australia in Delhi in 2025.
The 22-year-old Shafali also improved on her own previous best of a 29-ball fifty, which she had recorded earlier in the series against Zimbabwe. Her latest performance demonstrated her aggressive approach and ability to accelerate India’s run chase.
India’s innings initially suffered a setback when opener Yastika Bhatia was dismissed for a second-ball duck. Harleen Deol joined Pratika Rawal at the crease, but managed only 19 runs from 19 deliveries before losing her wicket.
Shafali then partnered with Pratika to take control of the chase. The pair attacked the Zimbabwean bowlers and quickly shifted the momentum in India’s favour. While Shafali played an aggressive innings, Pratika maintained a composed approach, combining steady batting with effective stroke play.
Pratika finished unbeaten on 59, continuing her excellent form throughout the series. Shafali remained not out on 51 from 26 balls, ensuring India crossed the finishing line without further setbacks.
Earlier, Zimbabwe Women elected to bat first but struggled against India’s disciplined bowling attack. The visitors were dismissed for 131 in 39.5 overs, failing to establish substantial partnerships after losing three wickets during the powerplay.
Vaishnavi Sharma delivered the standout bowling performance, claiming five wickets for 39 runs to record her first five-wicket haul in ODIs. Her effort dismantled Zimbabwe’s batting order and prevented the visitors from building a competitive total.
Sayali Satghare supported the attack with two wickets for just 11 runs, while Kranti Gaud picked up two wickets for 23 runs. India’s bowlers maintained pressure throughout the innings, restricting Zimbabwe to a total that proved insufficient against the hosts’ powerful batting lineup.
For Zimbabwe, Modester Mupachikwa was the leading scorer with 37 runs, while Josephine Nkomo contributed 35. Chiedza Dhururu added 20 runs, but the remaining batters failed to provide the support needed to lift the total.
The eight-wicket victory completed India’s clean sweep in the ODI series and extended the team’s successful run across both formats. Zimbabwe, meanwhile, finished the tour without a victory in either the T20I or ODI series.
Third ODI: Brief Scores
Zimbabwe Women: 131 all out in 39.5 overs
Modester Mupachikwa 37, Josephine Nkomo 35; Vaishnavi Sharma 5/39, Sayali Satghare 2/11.
India Women: 133/2 in 17 overs
Pratika Rawal 59 not out, Shafali Verma 51 not out; Loryn Phiri 1/28.
Result: India Women won by eight wickets and swept the three-match ODI series 3-0.
Shafali’s record-equalling fifty, Pratika’s unbeaten contribution and Vaishnavi’s maiden ODI five-wicket haul highlighted India’s all-round dominance. The series sweep underlined the depth of India’s women’s cricket squad and its ability to deliver decisive performances with both bat and ball.
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