Harmanpreet, Shafali star as India seal 3-0 series sweep against Zimbabwe

Harmanpreet Kaur's unbeaten 91 off 41 balls and Shafali Verma's 69 helped India post a gargantuan 216 for 7 before Nandani Sharma took a three-fer to restrict Zimbabwe to just 124 in the third T20I in Raipur on Tuesday (October 20). India won by 92 runs to complete a 3-0 series sweep and record their largest home victory in a women's T20I.

Based on a power-hitting performance in which they hit as many as 11 sixes out of a match record tally of 15, India's total after electing to bat was their joint-third highest in the format. It took India's count of sixes in the calendar year to 128. For context, South Africa are the next best in 2026, with 78.

This was, however, an opportunity to see if India's T20 team would undergo any newer iterations in addition to the records. After winning the toss, Captain Smriti Mandhana spotted an opportunity to play around with the batting order and moved Anushka Sharma up to open alongside Shafali, with the India captain reserving her position. Anushka took full advantage of her promotion, scoring 28 runs off 20 deliveries before being caught by Nomvelo Sibanda.

Shafali, meanwhile, continued her rich vein of form, striking six fours and five sixes in a 37-ball 69. The innings lost some momentum after Anushka's dismissal, with Niki Prasad managing just 9 off 12 balls. But Harmanpreet, who was 11 off 12 at one stage, transformed the innings with a stunning assault on the Zimbabwe bowlers.

When Harmanpreet took on Kudzai Chigora in the 14th over, the match turned around. In that over, Harmanpreet scored 20 runs, including two fours and two sixes. After that, she cleared the ropes on multiple occasions, including a notable six-over-long-on off a good-length delivery as she moved down the track. The former India captain, who reached 50 off 25 balls, brought brute force and clean striking to the fore, taking India past the 200-run mark despite a cluster of wickets in the closing overs.

She was on 81 at the start of the final over and retained the strike throughout it, finishing unbeaten on 91 off 41 balls, with 10 fours and five sixes. Her late surge ensured India finished with a daunting total even as Zimbabwe's fielders continued to take some impressive catches. With three wickets, beloved Biza was the best bowler for the visitors, but Zimbabwe's bowling was unable to contain India's scoring rate. Mandhana never came out to bat, even after India lost seven wickets, underlining the experimental nature of the batting order.

Zimbabwe were never in the chase and even were one down after just one ball. It is to their credit that they persevered despite the early setbacks, and Sharne Mayers and Beloved Biza scored 82 runs off 78 deliveries for the third wicket. Mayers continued to impress with her big-hitting abilities, hitting all four of her team's sixes in a 49-ball knock of 60. With 3 for 18 in her four overs, India's best bowler was Nandani Sharma.