Niki Prasad's record debut week carries India into the Raipur T20I finale

Niki Prasad has taken a wicket with the first ball of her international bowling career and made an unbeaten 39 on debut, and India's T20I series finale against Zimbabwe in Raipur gives the 20-year-old a third outing in five days

India lead the three-match series 2-0 and close it at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on Tuesday evening, with only the clean sweep left to settle.

It is the first bilateral women's T20I series between the two countries, and Zimbabwe have yet to pass 115 in it.

Most of India's week, though, has belonged to a debutant. Prasad made 39 not out in the opener on 16 October, then took 2 for 7 two days later in a spell that began with a wicket off her very first delivery in international cricket.

A debut spell that began with a wicket

Prasad's off-spin was called on in the second T20I with Zimbabwe rebuilding through the middle overs, and she struck with her first ball and again with her second.

She finished with 2 for 7 from two overs, and Female Cricket recorded her as the first Indian woman to take a wicket with the very first delivery of her international bowling career.

Shree Charani (1 for 21), Kranti Gaud (1 for 15) and Nandani Sharma (1 for 17) shared the remaining wickets as Zimbabwe were held to 102 for 8.

The rescue act in the opener

Smriti Mandhana had put Zimbabwe in on 16 October and seen them post 114 for 5, Kelis Ndhlovu making 42 from 44 balls and Sharne Mayers 43 not out from 33.

The chase then fell apart at 19 for 4 inside four overs, Nyasha Gwanzura taking three of those wickets on her way to 3 for 18.

Deepti Sharma made 49 from 37 balls and Prasad 39 from 35, and their stand of 82 took India to the target in 15.4 overs for the loss of six wickets. Deepti Sharma was named player of the match.

Shafali and Mandhana make the second a formality

Josephine Nkomo chose to bat in the second match and Zimbabwe again found the surface hard work, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano top-scoring with 34 from 32 balls and the captain finishing on 27 not out from 35.

India needed 8.5 overs to answer. Shafali Verma hit 55 from 25 balls with six fours and four sixes, Mandhana was 47 not out from 25, and the opening pair put on 96 before Beloved Biza found a way through.

India finished on 103 for 1 to win by nine wickets and take the series with a match to spare.

Zimbabwe still looking for a first win of the tour

Nkomo's side have not been bowled out in either match, which flatters the batting rather less than it sounds: neither total gave their bowlers enough to defend.

Their best work has come in partnerships rather than innings, the 53 Ndhlovu and Modester Mupachikwa added in the opener and the 45 Nkomo and Mugeri-Tiripano put on in the second.

A first win in India would be the tour's one piece of hard currency before the format changes.

A last look before Vadodara

The finale closes the T20I leg three days before the three-match ODI series begins in Vadodara on 23 October, with the remaining matches on 25 and 28 October.

India, led by Mandhana, have used the week to look at the edges of their squad, and Prasad has made the most pressing case of anyone who came into it uncapped.

Women have been given free entry to all three T20Is in Raipur, following a suggestion from the Chhattisgarh chief minister, Vishnu Deo Sai.

The third T20I begins at 7pm IST at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur.

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