Pratika Rawal ton, Charani four-for hand India comfortable win

Pratika Rawal struck an unbeaten 100 off 96 balls as India thrashed Zimbabwe by nine wickets in the first ODI in Vadodara, chasing down 198 with 22.5 overs to spare to go 1-0 up in the three-match series. Shafali Verma (64* off 33) finished the job with a flurry of sixes after Shree Charani's career-best figures of 4 for 23 and Kranti Gaud's 3 for 42 had helped bowl Zimbabwe out for 197 in 49.5 overs. Beloved Biza top-scored for the visitors with 62.

Zimbabwe chose to bat on a flat surface and lost Loryn Phiri in the third over when Kranti held on to a diving return catch. However, India's fielding failed them multiple times in the first overs. Zimbabwe reached 46 for 1 after the Powerplay after Richa Ghosh dropped Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano in the same over and Deepti Sharma dropped Modester Mupachikwa at slip off debutant Jintimani Kalita's bowling in the eighth over.

The pace of the game turned quickly once Charani came on to bowl. She began with a maiden and then trapped Mugeri-Tiripano LBW with her first ball of the next over. Charani then removed Modester Mupachikwa, bowling her fourth over on the trot, the batter miscuing a lofted drive to mid-off.

Zimbabwe were 70 for 4 when Deepti caught Sharne Mayers shortly after, but Biza kept the innings going by adding 43 with Nyasha Gwanzura for the fifth wicket and reaching her fifty. Michelle Mavunga made a late push with 29 runs off 23 balls, including a six off Sayali Satghare at midwicket. However, Kranti dropped her at deep midwicket on 20, and Charani eventually caught her.

Shafali caught captain Nomvelo Sibanda LBW and Kranti caught Biza at mid-off after that 40-run stand was broken, resulting in a collapse of three wickets for three runs. The last pair added 14 before Deepti bowled Tendai Makusha with one ball of the innings left.

India's openers made light work of the chase. Pratika hit two fours in the first over while Smriti Mandhana (32) found her timing at the other end as India raced to 72 without loss after 10 overs.

Pratika, dropped on 45 at midwicket, reached her fifty off 54 balls, with the opener adding 94 before Mandhana was caught at long-on. Shafali then took over, lofting Chare for three sixes in a 20-run 26th over to bring up her fifty off 29 balls.

Pratika reached her third ODI hundred with a boundary in the 27th over as the 106-run stand, which came off only 70 balls, delivered India to a facile win.