India Women’s 3-0 sweep vs Zimbabwe: Bright spots and areas of concern
The three-match WT20I series between India and Zimbabwe came to an end in Raipur on Tuesday, with the Women in Blue registering an expected 3-0 clean sweep. Smriti Mandhana’s full-time captaincy era began on a winning note, but beyond the scoreline, did India tick all the boxes, or were there still unanswered questions? Let’s take a closer look.
Niki Prasad, Harmanpreet and Shafali Lead the Positives
The biggest positive for India was undoubtedly 20-year-old Niki Prasad. Her match-winning unbeaten 39 in the series opener, followed by three wickets across the next two games and some electrifying fielding, made it an impressive series for the youngster. She made the most of the opportunities presented to her, contributing with both bat and ball.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s return to form was another major boost ahead of bigger challenges, including the South Africa tour. Questions had been raised about the veteran batter’s recent low scores in the Asia Cup and Asian Games, and she failed to make a significant impact in the series opener. However, in the third game, she unleashed a six-hitting assault, smashing an unbeaten 91 off just 41 balls at a strike rate of 221.95. It was her second-highest individual score in WT20Is and a timely confidence boost for both Harmanpreet and the team.
Newly appointed vice-captain Shafali Verma also continued to lead from the front with quick starts at the top. Two rapid fifties extended her impressive run in the format. She has now scored 991 runs in 27 innings this year at a strike rate of 166.83, including nine fifties and a century.
Nandni Sharma was another standout performer. The pacer looked in rhythm throughout the series, controlled her variations and remained effective in both the powerplay and death overs. After impressive outings in the Asia Cup and Asian Games, she continued her form against Zimbabwe, taking six wickets at an economy rate of 4.18 to finish as the series’ leading wicket-taker.
Mandhana’s Captaincy: Promising Signs, but there is Scope for Improvement
Mandhana made a decent start to her first full-time captaincy assignment. One of the positives was her proactive approach in the field. She often retained slips in the opening overs and kept the third-man fielder inside the circle. While her field placements were largely weighted towards the off-side, she regularly adjusted them, seemingly intent on preventing Zimbabwe’s batters from settling into a pattern.
Mandhana was also frequently seen communicating with her bowlers, appearing receptive to their inputs on field placements. It suggested a willingness to give her teammates a degree of freedom.
Her decision to experiment with the batting order in the final game was another notable move. Mandhana did not open the innings herself, instead sending Anushka Sharma alongside Shafali, with Niki coming in at No. 3. The move provided opportunities to players who had not received much time in the middle and indicated that the team management wanted to explore its options.
However, Mandhana’s ability to break partnerships remains an area to watch. In the opening game, she appeared to struggle to find a breakthrough during the 53-run second-wicket stand between Kelis Ndhlovu and Modester Mupachikwa. She also seemed short of answers during Sharne Mayers’ unbeaten 43 off 33 balls. Similar concerns resurfaced in the third game, when Mayers scored 60 off 49 and shared an 82-run partnership with Beloved Biza, who made 44 off 50.
The decision not to give Minnu Mani and Jintimani Kalita a single opportunity also raised questions. Both earned call-ups after impressive performances in the recent India A home series against Australia A. With the series already sealed ahead of the final game, it seemed an ideal opportunity to test them. Their exclusion left questions about the purpose of their selection if they were not going to be given a chance.
Individual Concerns and Areas to Address
Anushka Sharma will be disappointed with her returns. She failed to make the most of her opportunity at No. 3 in the opening game and had limited time in the middle in the second. Given a chance to open in the finale, she shared a 54-run stand with Shafali but could not convert her start, scoring 28 off 20 balls.
Arundhati Reddy’s position also warrants attention after she managed just two wickets in three games at an economy rate of 8.11. She looked more controlled with her variations in the second match, but struggled to find the same rhythm in the other two outings.
Concerns over Richa Ghosh’s batting form also continued. In 24 WT20I innings this year, she has averaged 21.25 at a strike rate of 145.92, reaching 20 runs only six times.
Beyond individual performances, two recurring problems stood out: fielding lapses and an inability to take wickets at regular intervals.
Shafali dropped catches in each of the last two games, while Kranti Gaud also missed an opportunity in the second match. Unnecessary misfields and overthrows added to India’s problems. Zimbabwe appeared sharper in the field, exposing an area India must improve before facing stronger opposition.
India also failed to bowl Zimbabwe out in any of the three matches. While the second game produced their most disciplined bowling performance, resulting in eight wickets, Zimbabwe’s batters negotiated the Indian attack comfortably at other times, particularly in the middle overs. Deepti Sharma’s return of just two wickets in three games, despite an economy rate of 4.81, is another aspect worth monitoring ahead of tougher assignments.
The Road Ahead
The 3-0 sweep gives India a positive start to Mandhana’s captaincy era, with Niki’s emergence, Harmanpreet’s return to form and Shafali’s consistency among the biggest gains. However, the fielding, middle-overs bowling and opportunities for the wider squad remain important talking points.
The focus now shifts to the three-match home WODI series against Zimbabwe, beginning on October 23 in Vadodara. It offers Mandhana another opportunity to build her understanding of the team and refine her leadership approach before the ultimate test: India’s all-format tour of South Africa.
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