Deepti Sharma Praises Debutant Niki Prasad After India’s Comeback Win Over Zimbabwe

India recovered from a difficult start to defeat Zimbabwe by six wickets in the first Women’s T20I in Raipur, thanks to a crucial partnership between Deepti Sharma and debutant Niki Prasad.
After restricting Zimbabwe to 114, India looked well placed to chase the target. However, offspinner Nyasha Gwanzura struck early, taking three wickets in her first two overs and reducing the hosts to 19 for 4.
Deepti Sharma and Niki Prasad then steadied the innings with an impressive 82-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Deepti scored 49 off 37 balls, while Prasad remained unbeaten on 39 from 35 deliveries, guiding India to victory with four wickets remaining and 26 balls to spare.
Speaking after the match, Deepti praised the young batter’s composure and confidence on her international debut. She said Prasad played with the assurance of someone who had already represented the country several times, highlighting her ability to build a partnership and help the team recover under pressure.
Deepti also explained that there was no panic in the Indian dressing room despite the early collapse. She emphasised that challenging situations are essential for players and teams to grow stronger, adding that the partnership helped India regain control and secure the win.
Addressing India’s early dismissals, Deepti defended the team’s aggressive batting approach, saying that the side remained committed to playing attacking cricket. She acknowledged that mistakes can happen but stressed the importance of learning from every innings and match.
Deepti narrowly missed her half-century after top-edging a sweep shot when India needed just 14 more runs to win. She admitted she was disappointed not to finish the match herself but remained confident that the experience would help her avoid similar mistakes in the future.
India’s victory gave the team a positive start to the series, while Prasad’s composed debut innings emerged as one of the biggest highlights of the match.

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