With its batting unit back in rhythm, the Indian women’s cricket team will aim to extend its winning streak and complete a 3-0 sweep against Zimbabwe in the final T20I in Raipur on Tuesday. Smriti Mandhana’s era as full-time captain began with some jittery moments in the first T20I when Zimbabwe, touring India for the first time, reduced the hosts to 19/4 while defending a modest 114 on a slow surface. Coming off an Asia Cup triumph and a gold-winning campaign at the Asian Games, India finally overcame the nerves with Deepti Sharma and rising all-rounder Niki Prasad’s measured performances.
With its batting unit back in rhythm, the Indian women’s cricket team will aim to extend its winning streak and complete a 3-0 sweep against Zimbabwe in the final T20I.
She followed it up with a match-winning spell of 2/7 in the second T20I, taking a wicket with each of her first two deliveries at the international level. Shafali, on the other hand, has scored 922 runs at a strike rate of 165.52 to be the leading run-getter of 2026.
Niki has said the team environment has helped her settle in quickly. I think Smriti didi is carrying forward the same environment (as her predecessor Harmanpreet Kaur),” she said. The opening pair will once again be expected to provide a strong start and put Zimbabwe’s bowling attack under pressure. “This is my first time with the Indian team and overall the environment in the dressing room is very good. She also asserted that the team has put the batting troubles of the opening match behind it. “Whatever happened in the last match… it is done and dusted.
All the batters applied themselves well (in the second T20I on Sunday) and Smriti and Shafali played to their strengths,” she said.
