Match

India Women won by 8 wkts

• Zimbabwe Women: 131/10 (39.5 overs)
• India Women: 133/2 (17 overs)

Zimbabwe Women - 131/10 (39.5 overs)

Extras: 11

India Women - 133/2 (17 overs)

Extras: 4

Commentary

• India have delivered a clinical performance to complete a dominant win over Zimbabwe as they lift the trophy and pose with that champions hoarding. Zimbabwe had shown plenty of grit and determination throughout the series, with their batters refusing to throw their wickets away across the first five matches. However, today, they struggled to bat deep. They had managed to avoid being bowled out in the T20I series and came close to batting out the full 50 overs in the first two ODIs. Today, though, they lasted fewer than 40 overs, a sign of how much India’s relentless bowling pressure wore them down over the last couple of weeks. Zimbabwe will have plenty to learn from this experience, and hopefully, they can take some positives into their upcoming tours. That brings us to the end of today’s coverage. You can switch tabs to catch all the live action from other ongoing matches. Until next time, goodbye!
• Smriti Mandhana | Indian captain: [Three ODI wins and a strong start to the Women's Championship. How pleased are you?] I mean three ODIs win and good start to the championship points for the next World Cup. So, really pleased with the way bowlers turned up today, restrict them under 140. And Vaishnavi, I mean got a five-fer today. We had few four wickets also. Really happy that she got a five-fer on the last ball. [What plans did India want to implement across formats?] In general I feel good starts. Of course, we knew with Zimbabwe, I thought they really fielded and played some good cricket. But other than that, I think we just wanted to go and dominate. That's the thing which we discussed. And I think all the six matches, apart from maybe the first T20, we really played a lot of dominating cricket. So that's something which is a good thing. And yeah, I think the way our pacers were trying to hit the stumps, I think that's something which we discussed as a team. And I was really pleased with that. [Are you pleased with the batting rotation and opportunities given?] I mean Yastika has not got a one-day game for a very long time. So it was like we really wanted to have her bat. I mean if you would have batted first for sure, we would have kept the same batting order. But with 130, we thought she should be opening. And as well Harleen. And I mean both of them have been on the bench for quite some time. So really happy that they got some game time.
• Pratika Rawal | Player of the Series: [On batting for long durations] I don't know. It naturally comes to me because (of) the way I prepare, I like to bat for long durations. And when I went back home after the Asian Games, I consistently batted for long durations, stayed in the ground for multiple hours, and then just pushed myself every bit. So I think when you put in hard yards in the practice, it's gonna show in the matches as well. [What was your target after the Asian Games?] I kept things very simple. I just wanted to bat the way I bat. I just wanted to feel that confidence that I'm timing the ball really well, I'm finding good gaps. Also working on the aerial shots as well. So it was an overall development of the game, tactical as well as strength-wise. [What are your biggest takeaways from today's knock?] I think my coach is gonna be really happy today because we've been working on this for a very long time. We've been working on those pull shots. We've been working on those stand and deliver shots. Punches is one thing that my coach is really happy when I play those shots. So I think it's a good takeaway. It gives you immense confidence when you're scoring a lot of runs for your team, which eventually helps the team's victory. So I think I'm gonna take a lot of things today. [What is your immediate next target?] Playing the domestic this season. So I'm flying to Lucknow.
• Vaishnavi Sharma | Player of the Match: [How are you feeling?] I'm feeling really good. I'm grateful. [On her performance] I was just following my process, and the wickets kept coming along the way. Apart from that, I was just thinking that I wanted to complete a five-wicket haul today. That was what was going through my mind. [Was changing the angle a conscious decision, or was it just a case of trying something different?] I changed it deliberately because it makes it a little difficult for the batter to settle in. It also creates different angles, which makes it more useful. [You mentioned that you had improved and changed a few small things in your game. Could you repeat what those things were?] I've improved my mindset. During the time I had available, I learned how to read batters and assess the match situation. I worked more on bowling according to the situation and, rather than focusing only on taking wickets, on following and executing my plans. [Where would you rank this award among all the wickets you've taken over the past year and a half or two years?] I would rank it right at the top. I've genuinely worked very hard for this. My family has worked hard too. My support players and coaches have also worked a lot with me on my mindset and all these aspects of my game. So, this is all dedicated to my parents and my supporting players.
• Josephine Nkomo | Zimbabwe captain: [Tough series, but what positives will Zimbabwe take away?] Yeah, like you mentioned, there are a lot of positives. We had a couple of girls scoring fifties. We had some good bowling innings and our fielding was outstanding. So yeah, we will take that. [What lessons will you carry into the UAE series?] I think just to be more positive when we play. Just to have that intent from ball one and just to keep pushing and improving day by day. [Which players stood out across both series?] I think Nyasha Gwanzura bowled quite well. Beloved (Biza) has been outstanding with both bat and ball. Modester Mupachikwa behind the stumps and batting in the ODIs as well. So I think a couple of girls have actually put their hand up this entire series.
• Muzumdar 2/2: [On the areas India will focus on ahead of the upcoming South Africa tour] It's going to be a good one. There are three formats involved in that series in the month of December: the Test match to start with. So I think, going back to basics, trying to play normal cricket. I think we've done well in Test matches, and we would hope and love to continue that in the Test matches, followed by the ODI series and followed by the white-ball cricket. So I think before South Africa series, we would love to have a small little camp at COE, and we will go about doing a few things right in that series. [On Smriti Mandhana's leadership and her most impressive quality as captain] I think she was very communicative, that's for sure. You know, she's, as you said, she's not new to the role, but very impressive, and I think going forward, she's got her eyes set for the next six months, and we'll try and sit together after this series, after this win, and then go about thinking about the next six months.
• Amol Muzumdar (India's head coach) 1/2: [On what satisfied him the most] I think there are two things in my mind which were really striking. One is giving the opportunity to the youngsters who are coming through in this Indian team, and the second one was domination. We spoke about that in the team meetings and even in the dressing room, that whenever we get an opportunity, we dominate. We try to do that, and I think we were pretty successful in the T20s as well as in the ODIs. [On using the bilateral series to experiment with different team combinations ahead of major tournaments] Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you can fiddle around with the combination that you want to play, whether three seamers, or two spinners, or three spinners in the XI. And these bilateral series, I think, they set the tone. We followed that in the previous World Cup. Prior to that, I think, we had a few bilateral series which set the tone for the ICC World Cup in 2025. [On balancing the immediate goal of winning matches with preparations for the future] Look, I mean, that's the job. We definitely try to play the best combination, as well as keeping an eye on the near future, not to think too much far beyond, but keeping six months in mind. Try and balance that act. That's the job, and hopefully we have clicked in this series, and we have got the combination right.
• 18:11 Local Time, 12:41 GMT, 18:11 IST: India complete a clean sweep, winning the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe 3-0! In fact, India have won all six matches across the two formats. India 6, Zimbabwe 0. That’s complete dominance from India! India’s bowling was impressive, but their batting was even better, consistently delivering across all six matches. The fielding could certainly use some improvement, but overall, India will be delighted with the way they’ve wrapped up the series. Earlier in the day, the Indian pacers struck early, unlike in the first two ODIs, putting the opposition on the back foot. However, it was young spinner Vaishnavi Sharma who stole the show with a crucial five-wicket haul, playing a key role in dismantling the opposition batting lineup. Pratika Rawal continued to impress with another half-century, while Shafali Verma unleashed her explosive best as India Women chased down the target of 133 in under 17 overs, sealing a comfortable victory with 33 overs to spare. Stay around for the presentations..
• 16.6: Olinder Chare to Shafali Verma, SIX, India win by 8 wickets! Shafali Verma brings up her fifty and finishes it off in style. Pratika Rawal walks up to her and shakes her hand as they finish a clincal win. Shafali Verma was down the wicket to have a go at the spinner, takes the aerial route and launches this right over the bowler's head for half-a-dozen. The Indian players are a satisfied bunch - they are greeting each other near the dugout before they enter the field to have the customary handshakes with the opposition players
• 16.5: Olinder Chare to Shafali Verma, no run, advances down the wicket and drills it straight to the fielder at cover
• 16.4: Olinder Chare to Pratika Rawal, 1 run, outside off, punched through the off-side for a gentle single
• 16.3: Olinder Chare to Shafali Verma, 1 run, tossed up delivery around middle and leg, Shafali Verma heaved it towards wide long-on for a single
• 16.2: Olinder Chare to Pratika Rawal, 1 run, tad short around off, punched along the carpet to long-off for a single
• 16.2: Olinder Chare to Pratika Rawal, wide, that's way too wide outside off, left alone by Pratika Rawal - and that's a wide given
• 16.1: Olinder Chare to Pratika Rawal, no run, pitched up by the bowler outside off, driven into the off-side by Pratika Rawal
• 15.6: Beloved Biza to Pratika Rawal, 1 run, driven along the carpet to long-on for a single
• 15.5: Beloved Biza to Pratika Rawal, no run, is this a clean catch? Or has it bounced before the fielder grabbed it? Pratika Rawal chipped it towards cover where Dhururu had put in a dive to take it. However, replays confirm the ball had bounced and the batter survives
• 15.4: Beloved Biza to Pratika Rawal, no run, driven down the pitch as the bowler goes full
• 15.3: Beloved Biza to Pratika Rawal, SIX, smoked over deep mid-wicket! Shimmies down the wicket and clubs the tossed up delivery over deep mid-wicket for a towering six. India inching closer to the target rapidly
• 15.2: Beloved Biza to Pratika Rawal, no run, on a length around middle and leg, nudged towards mid-wicket by Pratika Rawal