Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma Power India to Series Victory with Nine-Wicket Win

India Women clinched the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe with a commanding nine-wicket victory in the second T20I at Raipur on Sunday. Captain Smriti Mandhana and opener Shafali Verma starred with the bat as India chased down the target of 103 in just 8.5 overs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Zimbabwe struggled against India's disciplined bowling attack, losing three wickets for 30 runs in 8.1 overs. Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano scored 34 off 32 balls, including five boundaries, while captain Josephine Nkomo remained unbeaten on 27 off 35 deliveries. Their 45-run partnership for the fourth wicket helped Zimbabwe recover, but the team finished at 102/8 in 20 overs.

Niki Prasad was India's leading bowler, taking two wickets for seven runs in two overs. Kranti Gaud claimed 1/15 and Deepti Sharma returned figures of 1/13, while Shree Charani and Nandni Sharma also picked up a wicket each.

India's chase began aggressively, with Mandhana and Shafali reaching 50 in just 4.3 overs. Mandhana struck five boundaries off Nyasha Gwanzura in the fifth over, while Shafali attacked Michelle Mavunga in the following over with two fours and a six.

Shafali brought up her half-century in just 24 balls and eventually scored 55 off 25 deliveries, hitting six fours and four sixes. Beloved Biza ended the opening partnership by dismissing her after a 96-run stand. Mandhana remained unbeaten on 47 off 25 balls, including six fours and two sixes, and sealed the victory with a six. Anushka Sharma finished unbeaten on one.

The win marked India's 17th T20I victory in 2026, their highest number in a calendar year, surpassing their previous record of 16 wins in 2018.

The opening partnership also created history. Mandhana and Shafali recorded their ninth 50-plus stand of the year, the most by any pair in women's T20Is in a calendar year. They also became the first pair to aggregate more than 1,000 runs together in women's T20Is in a calendar year.

Shafali, who has scored 922 runs in 26 innings in 2026, including one century and eight fifties, registered her ninth 50-plus score of the year, surpassing Mandhana's previous calendar-year record of eight.