Vadodara is ready for a series decider in all but name. India Women walk into the second ODI against Zimbabwe at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi on Sunday afternoon knowing one more win seals the three-match series. The match starts at 2:00 PM IST, and after the way the opener went, Zimbabwe know exactly what they are up against.
Friday’s first ODI was not close. Zimbabwe were bowled out for 197, and India chased the target down with nine wickets in hand and 137 balls to spare. It was the kind of win that sets a tone, not just a 1-0 lead. Add the 3-0 sweep in the T20I leg in Raipur earlier on this tour, and India arrive in Vadodara on a run of four straight wins over the same opponents.
A bowling attack in full control
The story of the opener was India’s bowling discipline. Left-arm spinner Shree Charani was the standout, returning a career-best 4 for 23 from her ten overs. She bowled tight lines, gave Zimbabwe’s batters nothing to hit, and struck just when a partnership threatened to form. Pacer Kranti Gaud backed her up superbly with 3 for 42, and vice-captain Deepti Sharma chipped in with two wickets of her own.
Zimbabwe’s innings had one real bright spot. Seventeen-year-old Beloved Biza held things together with a patient 62 off 92 balls, her fourth ODI fifty, and she will again be the batter India plan for first on Sunday. Beyond Biza, the visitors struggled to build partnerships, and that is the problem they must solve to stay alive in the series. The Vadodara pitch is a fresh red-soil surface expected to help the slow bowlers as the game goes on.
Rawal and Shafali set the template
If the bowling set the game up, the batting finished it in style. Opener Pratika Rawal struck an unbeaten century, 100 off 96 balls with 15 fours, her third hundred in ODI cricket. It was a composed, controlled innings, the work of a batter who looks completely at home at the top of the order right now.
Then there was Shafali Verma. Batting at number three in ODIs for only the second time, she smashed an unbeaten 64 off just 33 balls, with five fours and four sixes. Captain Smriti Mandhana’s side is clearly happy to experiment with its batting order, and Shafali’s promotion looks like an experiment worth repeating.
What Zimbabwe must change
For Zimbabwe, led by captain Josephine Nkomo, the task is clear. They need more from the top order around Biza, tighter bowling in the powerplay, and a way to put India’s spinners under pressure rather than simply surviving them. In the opener, the visitors won the toss and chose to bat, a decision that unravelled as India’s bowlers applied relentless pressure.
- Match: India Women vs Zimbabwe Women, 2nd ODI
- Date and time: Sunday, October 25, 2026, 2:00 PM IST
- Venue: BCA Stadium, Kotambi, Vadodara
- Series: India lead the three-match series 1-0
- Where to watch: Star Sports on TV, JioHotstar for live streaming
Players to watch on Sunday
Pratika Rawal: In the form of her life in this series, with a century in the opener. Zimbabwe need her wicket early.
Shree Charani: Her 4 for 23 in the opener was a career best, and on a pitch expected to help spin, she could be the key bowler again.
Beloved Biza: At just 17, she is already Zimbabwe’s most reliable batter on this tour. If the visitors post a competitive total, she will likely be at the heart of it.
Shafali Verma: Her 33-ball 64 at number three gave India a new gear in the chase. Another fast start from her could end the contest early.
What a series win would mean
A win on Sunday does more than close out this series with a game to spare. It extends a winning run, rewards the experiments with the batting order, and gives the team management a settled, confident group heading into the South Africa tour. For Zimbabwe, a win would be a genuine breakthrough, proof that they can compete with a top side away from home. That is what makes Sunday interesting despite the one-sided opener: the visitors have nothing to lose now, and teams with nothing to lose can be dangerous.
Expect India to start as clear favourites. Expect Zimbabwe to fight harder than they did on Friday. And expect Vadodara to get another afternoon of cricket that tells us plenty about where both teams stand.
FAQs
When is the India Women vs Zimbabwe Women 2nd ODI? The match is on Sunday, October 25, 2026, starting at 2:00 PM IST at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi, Vadodara.
Who leads the series? India lead the three-match ODI series 1-0 after winning the opener by nine wickets.
Who were the stars of the first ODI? Pratika Rawal scored an unbeaten 100 off 96 balls, Shafali Verma smashed 64 off 33 balls, and Shree Charani took a career-best 4 for 23.
Where can fans watch the 2nd ODI? The match will be shown live on the Star Sports channels on TV and streamed live on the JioHotstar app and website.
What happened in the T20I series? India swept the T20I leg of Zimbabwe’s tour 3-0 in Raipur before the ODI series began.
India have the momentum and the form. On Sunday in Vadodara, they get the chance to turn all of that into a series win.
