Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma struck centuries as India thrashed Zimbabwe by 121 runs in the second women’s ODI on Sunday to seal the three-match series 2-0.
India posted 328/6 after batting first before their spinners bowled Zimbabwe out for 207 in 48.5 overs. Vaishnavi Sharma led the attack with four wickets, while Deepti returned figures of 3/32 after her unbeaten century.
Harmanpreet smashed 126 off 121 balls, hitting 15 fours, while Deepti scored an unbeaten 106 off 86 deliveries, also striking 15 boundaries. The pair added 153 runs for the fifth wicket to put India in control.
India had a shaky start after newly appointed captain Smriti Mandhana mistimed a pull in the opening over. Shafali Verma soon followed, leaving the hosts struggling
at 31/2. Pratika Rawal then steadied the innings with a 61 off 67 balls, sharing a 124-run partnership with Harmanpreet before being dismissed in the 23rd over.
Harmanpreet took charge thereafter, finding boundaries regularly despite being dropped three times. Her eighth ODI century helped India build a formidable total, although Richa Ghosh’s early dismissal prevented the hosts from finishing as strongly as they would have liked. Deepti reached her second ODI hundred with a four in the final over.
Zimbabwe needed a strong response but struggled against India’s spin attack. Modester Mupachikwa scored 49 and Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano made 46, but neither could take the chase deep enough to threaten India’s total.
Vaishnavi, playing only her second women’s ODI, struck at regular intervals to derail Zimbabwe’s innings. Deepti then helped finish the job by removing three batters as the visitors were dismissed for 207.
India had won the series opener by nine wickets and will now look to complete a clean sweep in the final match. The bilateral series also marks the first time India and Zimbabwe have faced each other in a women’s ODI series.
