India clinched the T20I series against Zimbabwe with a commanding nine-wicket win in the second match, providing Smriti Mandhana with a successful start to her tenure as full-time captain. The hosts reached their target of 103 with 67 balls remaining, marking the largest margin of victory by balls spared in a T20I chase of over 100 runs in women’s cricket history. She then went 4 4 6 against Michelle Mavunga in the sixth over. Her exit made no difference to the proceedings as six balls later, Mandhana sealed the win with a six.
The victory was built on a clinical bowling display that stifled Zimbabwe to 102/8. After an initial breakthrough by Nandani Sharma in the fourth over, Zimbabwe struggled to find momentum, reaching only 20/1 by the end of the Powerplay. Although a 45-run partnership between Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, who top-scored with 34, and captain Josephine Nkomo provided brief resistance, the visitors faltered after 14.2 overs. Niki Prasad played a decisive role, claiming two wickets in her first two career deliveries—a rare feat achieved by only three players across men’s and women’s professional cricket. But stuttered in the middle, zimbabwe crawled to the end of the Powerplay with 20/1 on the board. The blitz didn’t stop just because the fields spread. Before Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano and captain Josephine Nkomo displayed a gumption of a fight with a 45-run stand, it soon became 20/2 and then 30/3 in the ninth over. The Zimbabwean innings meandered away, just about getting past three figures in the final over, from 75/5 in 14.2 overs.
India’s response was aggressive from the start, with Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana recording 76/0, the second-best Powerplay score for India in T20I history. Shafali struck six fours and four sixes during her 24-ball half-century, marking her ninth 50-plus score of 2026, the highest count for any player in a single calendar year. She also extended her joint-record with Mandhana, notching their ninth 50-plus opening partnership of the year. Who was then punished by Mandhana in her next over, the early assault from the India openers was relentless: Shafali started the innings with a four and hit a six in the same over from Nyasha Gwanzura. Carting her around the park for five boundaries, shafali brought out the full force in the fifth over off Nyasha Gwanzura. Mandhana tonked a big six off Olinder Chare in the seventh over.
Following Shafali’s dismissal shortly after reaching her milestone, Mandhana hit a decisive six to secure the win. The series concludes with the final match remaining, but India has already guaranteed a series victory with their clinical performance. The final scorecard reflected the dominance of the home side: Zimbabwe 102/8 in 20 overs against India’s 104/1 in 8.5 overs.
