Harmanpreet, Deepti tons help India seal ODI series

Harmanpreet Kaur now has eight ODI centuries for India, one more than Mithali Raj. She and Deepti Sharma helped the hosts win the series. In a batting masterclass that saw the former captain and Deepti each score 15 fours, Zimbabwe's fielders were on the lookout for leather for half of the game as they conceded 328 runs. As this pair piled on a 153-run stand, any joy they had with breakthroughs faded.

Vaishnavi Sharma, a 20-year-old left-arm spinner, took four wickets as Zimbabwe's batters got starts but were unable to keep up with the increasing asking rate. Deepti also took three wickets while bowling for Zimbabwe. There was a short period of time in this game where Zimbabwe didn't look completely out of sorts. Smriti Mandhana made the decision to bat, but Zimbabwe wouldn't let her bat past two balls, so Novmelo Sibanda bowled her off in the first over. India reached 19/2 after Shafali Verma was run out by Sibanda in the third over. Before Harmanpreet and Deepti got together, another essay-reviving stand ensued.

Harmanpreet and opener Pratika Rawal added 124 runs to pull India out of trouble, with Rawal reaching a brisk half-century. India reached 68/2 in 10 overs as they continued to work together. They maintained the scoring rate through the middle-overes too, with Rawal reaching her fifty in the 19th over. India were consistently receiving fours and sixes, and Harmanpreet also reached the age of fifty.

But Rawal was run out for 61 off 67, caught by Beloved Biza at the deep midwicket boundary, against the flow of play. India then quickly lost Tejal Hasabnis, paving the way for the Harmanpreet-Deepti rematch. Deepti hit a quick fifty off 37 balls, and the two of them set up India for a strong finish. In the 41st over, Harmanpreet made the majority of the three dropped catches that occurred at various points in the innings, helping her score her hundred. Kudzai Chigora, a substitute fielder, took the fourth chance, and Harmanpreet left for a 121-ball 126. Deepti kept going, hitting her ton in the final over for a 106* off 86 balls.

Zimbabwe's pursuit never took off. Opening batter Loryn Phiri struggled to get a 22-ball six before Shree Charani struck out on the 23rd. The only time Zimbabwe showed they could put up a fight was during the second-wicket partnership between Modester Mupachikwa and Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano. They added 69 and got 40s each but that was as far as the visitors could go.

Once Sayali Satghare cleaned up Tiripano, the downward spiral began. Vaishnavi swooped in, in the middle overs and dug her heels into the middle-order that fully derailed Zimbabwe. They went from 107/2 to 168/5, falling well behind the eight-ball. Deepti, who finished well with the bat, did the honours with the ball too by dismissing Nyasha Gwanzura, Sibanda and Tendai Makusha.

The Zimbabwean chase was wrapped up in the 49th over, leading to India's massive victory.