Deepti Sharma and Debutant Niki Prasad Rescue India From 22/4 to Beat Zimbabwe in Raipur

Smriti Mandhana's first match as India's full-time T20I captain ended in a win on Friday night, but not the stroll most people expected. Chasing a modest 115 against Zimbabwe in Raipur, India lost four wickets for 22 runs inside the powerplay before Deepti Sharma and debutant Niki Prasad put on the partnership that carried the hosts to a four-wicket victory with 26 balls to spare.

India finished on 116/6 in 15.4 overs, with Prasad driving the winning boundary off Tendai Makusha. The result gives India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium.

A collapse nobody planned for

The trouble started in the second over of the chase. Zimbabwe off-spinner Nyasha Gwanzura had Mandhana caught at square leg for 9 off six balls when a lap shot came off the leading edge, and three deliveries later removed Anushka Sharma, who sliced a wide ball to point. Harmanpreet Kaur, playing her first international since giving up the captaincy, followed for 1 off four balls, and Shafali Verma also fell to Gwanzura before the fielding restrictions ended.

Gwanzura's figures of 3/18 from three overs were the standout spell of the night. It was a reminder that Zimbabwe, still building as a T20I side, can trouble stronger teams when their spinners get early grip.

Deepti and the debutant

At 22/4, India needed someone to absorb pressure, and the answer came from an experienced all-rounder and a batter playing her first international match. Deepti Sharma counter-attacked with eight fours in her 37-ball 49, including a slog sweep off Michelle Mavunga that signalled the chase had turned. She fell one short of a half-century, caught off Olinder Chare, but by then India needed fewer than 20.

Prasad was the more remarkable story. She found the boundary repeatedly through the off side, punishing anything short or wide, and was still there at the end on 39 not out from 35 balls. Earlier she had also thought she had taken a diving catch at long-off to dismiss Kelis Ndhlovu, only for the third umpire to rule that the ball had touched the ground.

Zimbabwe's innings stalled in the middle

Having been sent in after Mandhana chose to bowl with dew expected, Zimbabwe looked set for more than 114. Ndhlovu struck six fours in her 42 and the visitors were 60 for 1 at the halfway mark. India's spinners and seamers then squeezed the run rate after the drinks break. Shree Charani took a sharp return catch to remove Modester Mupachikwa, and Arundhati Reddy bowled Ndhlovu one ball after the overturned catch.

Sharne Mayers kept Zimbabwe afloat with an unbeaten 43 off 33 balls, including two sixes, but the late surge never really arrived. Nandani Sharma was India's most economical bowler with 2/11.

What it means for Mandhana's tenure

Mandhana was named captain across formats on October 6 after Harmanpreet stepped down (see our earlier coverage). A win was always the minimum expectation against Zimbabwe, but the manner of it will give the new leadership group plenty to discuss. India's top four contributed 19 runs between them, and the batting depth that bailed them out came from a player who had not faced a ball in international cricket before Friday.

The match began with both teams observing a minute's silence for Zimbabwean umpire Sarah Dambanevana, who died earlier this week aged 36. The Chhattisgarh association has also opened the stands free of charge to women spectators for all three games.

The second T20I is in Raipur on Sunday, October 18, with the third on October 20 before the teams move to Vadodara for three ODIs starting October 23.

This is an original summary based on public reporting. See our editorial policy for how we source, write, and correct our stories.