India 104 for 1 (Shafali 55, Mandhana 47*) beat Zimbabwe 102 for 8 (Mugeri-Tiripano 34, Nkomo 27, Prasad 2-7) by nine wickets

The right-handed Shafali was even quicker than Mandhana, bashing her way to 55 off 24 before she holed out to long-on in the eighth over. By then, India needed just seven runs to seal the chase, which Mandhana duly did with a pristine six over extra cover, securing her first series win as full-time captain.

Zimbabwe’s go-slow in powerplay

In the previous T20I, Zimbabwe had kept themselves at a run-a-ball rate for most of their batting innings, thanks in large part to opener Kelis Ndhlovu’s battling 42. At the toss, though, Mandhana said she wanted India to “be more disciplined with the ball”. Her bowlers delivered immediately in this game, with Kranti Gaud and Nandani Sharma sharing the new ball and using the shape in the air, and grip off the pitch, to continuously bowl on a good length.

Zimbabwe finished on 20 for 1 in the powerplay, struggling to power the ball past the fielders inside the circle. Ndhlovu had perished to Nandani – for an 11-ball duck – swinging through the line and losing her shape. Fellow opener Beloved Biza fell just two deliveries after the powerplay herself, running down the track and only sending Deepti Sharma’s delivery as far as extra cover, to Harmanpreet Kaur.

Mugeri-Tiripano, Nkomo fight back

Zimbabwe’s two innings of note – by Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano and Nkomo – were a result of game awareness instead of muscle. Mugeri-Tiripano especially benefited off reverse-sweeps, employing them back-to-back when Shree Charani introduced in the tenth over to collect two fours.

Her innings of 34 off 32 would have come to an end sooner if not for India’s sloppy outfield catching. Shafali dropped a simple chance off Charani’s bowling in the 12th over, then Kranti Gaud spilled her at long-on an over later.

Nkomo’s own innings – mostly played in the death overs – was slower, with her 27 runs coming off 35 balls. She was successful in sticking around, however, to ensure Zimbabwe played out their overs and crossed the three-figure mark, finishing on 102 of 8. Mandhana used seven bowling options, out of whom five took at least one wicket, vindicating her desire for better line-and-length at the toss.

Shafali, Mandhana play in fast-forward

If India’s bowling had been a team effort, India’s top order finished the chase. They were already 76 for 0 by the end of the powerplay, using both their power – a marked contrast to Zimbabwe’s batters – as well as finesse to pounce on Zimbabwe’s awry lines.

Mandhana, in particular, made use of her feet to throw the bowlers off their lengths, with deliveries too wide outside off or too full at the opening pair’s pads throughout. They made 84 of their 96 runs while at the crease in boundaries.

The highlight of the powerplay was the fifth over, bowled by offspinner Nyasha Gwanzura, who Mandhana hit for four consecutive fours – over cow corner, long-off, deep square leg, and long-off again – in an exhibition of range-hitting. Then, she handed over the strike to Shafali for the final ball of the innings. She proceeded to step down the track and loft her inside-out over deep extra cover.

The pair continued their unfettered attack until Shafali fell to a mis-hit just a ball after reaching her fifty. Ansuhka Sharma’s stroll to the crease as No. 3 was a formality – she made just 1 off 4 before Mandhana finished the game at the other end.

Full report to follow…