Photo via India Today

Captain Mandhana secures 1st series win as India thrash Zimbabwe in 2nd T20I

India’s women’s cricket team kicked off captain Smriti Mandhana’s leadership with a commanding series victory, defeating Zimbabwe by nine wickets in the second T20I of the three-match series. The win secured a 2-0 lead for India after a dominant performance in Raipur, where Mandhana and vice-captain Shafali Verma led the charge with a 96-run partnership.

Mandhana finished the chase unbeaten on 47 runs, while Verma’s aggressive 55 off 25 balls set the tone early, as India piled up 76 runs in the first six overs while chasing 103. Zimbabwe’s bowlers struggled to contain the Indian batters, and the hosts’ spinners—including standout Niki Prasad—restricted the visitors to just 102 runs for eight wickets, ensuring a comfortable victory.

The win marked a confident start to Mandhana’s captaincy, with no nerves or hesitation this time around, unlike the first match of the series.

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