Third ODI: Zimbabwe Bat First After Winning Toss in Vadodara

Zimbabwe elected to bat first after winning the toss in the third ODI of the series against India Women, played at the BCA Cricket Stadium in Vadodara on October 28.

Speaking after the toss, Zimbabwe skipper Josephine Nakomo said her team needed to put runs on the board. She revealed that only one change had been made to the side. Nakomo said the tour had given her team valuable experience and clarity about the weaknesses that needed fixing. She described playing at this level as very good but insisted the team could improve further. She said the players must give everything they have, and that a score above 250 would give them a fair chance to challenge for the win.

India's playing eleven includes three changes. Captain Smriti Mandhana said Kranti, Harleen and Yastika had come into the side. She also spoke about the team's schedule, which includes a South Africa tour and the Champions Trophy, with matches to be played under floodlights. Mandhana said the think tank was looking for the right balance and that part-time spinners could allow the team to play an extra pacer. She believed the pitch would suit a total below 180 and said India could still take more wickets. She also acknowledged that Zimbabwe's batters were in good form.

India leads the three-match series 2-0 with a perfect record so far. The team produced an excellent all-round performance in the second ODI, defeating Zimbabwe by 121 runs. Harmanpreet Kaur was outstanding with 126 runs. Deepti Sharma hit a powerful 106 from 86 balls. Pratika Rawal also made a useful contribution, scoring 61 from 67 deliveries. Vaishnavi Sharma, who was brought into the side in place of Kranti Gaud, took 4 wickets for 39 runs in the second match, while Deepti Sharma claimed 3 wickets.

Zimbabwe's batting has lacked consistency in this series. Although the innings began steadily in the second ODI, the batting order subsequently collapsed. Modester Mupachikwa scored a team-high 49 from 70 balls, while Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano added 46 runs. The bowlers have also struggled to keep the scoring rate under control.