Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma smashed magnificent centuries, while young spinner Vaishnavi Sharma starred with the ball as India defeated Zimbabwe by 121 runs in the second ODI to clinch the three-match series 2-0 in Vadodara.
India posted an imposing 328 for 6 after recovering from an early collapse, with Harmanpreet scoring 126 off 121 balls and Deepti remaining unbeaten on 106 off 86 deliveries. Vaishnavi then claimed four wickets for 39 runs in just her second ODI, helping India bowl out Zimbabwe in the 49th over.
The victory also marked Smriti Mandhana's first series win as India's full-time ODI captain.
Harmanpreet and Deepti Rescue India After Early Collapse
India's innings got off to a disastrous start as captain Smriti Mandhana was dismissed for a duck in the opening over. Shafali Verma followed soon after, leaving the hosts struggling at 19 for 2.
Harmanpreet counterattacked with a series of well-timed boundaries, while Pratika Rawal provided stability at the other end. Rawal scored a valuable 61 off 67 balls, bringing up her ninth ODI half-century off 57 deliveries.
The pair added 124 runs for the third wicket to revive India's innings before Zimbabwe struck twice in quick succession. Rawal was caught at deep midwicket for 61, while Tejal Hasabnis fell shortly afterwards, leaving India at 149 for 4.
With the innings in danger of losing momentum, Deepti joined Harmanpreet and launched a decisive counterattack. She targeted the spinners with sweeps and cuts, racing from 16 to 55 in just 23 balls.
Record Partnership Takes India Past 300
Harmanpreet and Deepti combined experience with aggressive strokeplay to turn the match firmly in India's favour. Their unbeaten momentum through the middle overs helped India recover from the early setbacks, as the duo put together a record 155-run fifth-wicket partnership for India in women's ODIs.
Harmanpreet brought up her eighth ODI century off 102 balls in the 41st over. She continued to accelerate before being dismissed for 126 in the 47th over, having struck 15 boundaries.
Deepti carried on the assault, reaching her century in the final over by sweeping Tendai Makusha for four. She struck another boundary off the next delivery to finish unbeaten on 106, also hitting 15 fours.
Her second ODI hundred came 3,450 days after her maiden century in 2017, marking the second-longest gap between centuries in women's ODIs. Her score was also the second-highest individual innings by a batter at No. 6 or lower in the format.
India eventually finished with 328 for 6, setting Zimbabwe a challenging target of 329.
Zimbabwe Fight Back Before India's Spinners Take Control
Zimbabwe began their chase positively, with Modester Mupachikwa attacking the Indian seamers and Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano taking on the spinners. Although N. Shree Charani dismissed Phiri for six, the visitors continued to score freely.
Mupachikwa and Mugeri-Tiripano added 69 runs for the second wicket, taking Zimbabwe to 107 for 1 in the 22nd over. Mugeri-Tiripano scored 46 off 57 balls before Sayali Satghare bowled her in the 23rd over.
Vaishnavi Sharma then delivered the breakthrough India needed, dismissing Mupachikwa for 49 off 70 balls in the 28th over. The wicket was the young left-arm spinner's maiden ODI scalp.
Vaishnavi's Four-Wicket Haul Seals the Victory
Vaishnavi followed up her first wicket with an impressive spell of spin bowling, varying her pace and flight to trouble Zimbabwe's middle order.
She dismissed Beloved Biza for 34 after India successfully reviewed an lbw decision, bowled Michelle Mavunga in the 40th over and trapped captain Josephine Nkomo lbw for 22 in the 42nd.
Deepti then struck twice in successive deliveries in the 46th over, dismissing Gwanzura lbw and having Sibanda caught at slip by Hasabnis. She finished with three wickets to complement her match-winning century.
Zimbabwe's resistance faded as wickets fell at regular intervals, and the visitors were bowled out in the 49th over, 121 runs short of India's total.
India Look Ahead After Dominant Series Win
India's victory showcased the team's batting depth and bowling strength, with Harmanpreet and Deepti delivering under pressure before Vaishnavi emerged as a promising performer with the ball.
The 2-0 series lead under Mandhana's captaincy provides India with further momentum, while the performances of the experienced batters and the young spinner offer plenty of positives heading into their next assignments.
