India Women completed a 3-0 sweep of the one-day international series against Zimbabwe with a commanding eight-wicket victory in the third and final match at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on Wednesday 28 October. Zimbabwe, who won the toss and chose to bat, were bowled out for 131 in 39.5 overs after failing to build lasting partnerships against a disciplined home attack. India then chased the modest target with ease, reaching 133 for two in 17 overs to finish the series unbeaten.

Shafali's rapid fifty

The chase began badly when opener Yastika Bhatia fell for a second-ball duck, but Pratika Rawal steadied the innings and then found a destructive partner in Shafali Verma. Shafali finished unbeaten on 51 from just 26 balls, a fifty that equalled the second-fastest by an Indian woman in one-day internationals, matching Richa Ghosh's 26-ball effort against New Zealand at Queenstown in 2022. Rawal batted through for an unbeaten 59 from 56 balls, and the pair's unbroken stand of 74 took India home with 33 overs still remaining.

A clean sweep

Left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma was the bowling star, taking her first five-wicket haul in one-day internationals with figures of five for 39. She broke partnerships at key moments, including dismissing opener Modester Mupachikwa, who top-scored for Zimbabwe with 37, and then working through the middle order as the tourists subsided. Zimbabwe captain Josephine Nkomo tried to rebuild in a 43-run stand with Chiedza Dhururu, who made 20, but the recovery did not last. For India, the sweep confirmed the gulf between the sides across the series, with batting depth and bowling control repeatedly keeping Zimbabwe under pressure from the first match to the last.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo and IANS and ANI, via LatestLY.