Zimbabwe reach 55 for 2 in Vadodara as Smriti Mandhana's ODI captaincy begins

Zimbabwe chose to bat in the first ODI the two sides have played against each other and were held to 55 for 2 inside the opening 15 overs in Vadodara

Zimbabwe Women won the toss at the Kotambi Stadium and elected to bat, and the decision brought them a start of patience rather than profit. They were 55 for 2 from 14.4 overs, a shade under four an over, on a surface that has given India's spinners grip from the first hour.

Modester Mupachikwa was unbeaten on 25 from 44 balls, with Beloved Biza new to the crease on 2 from 9. The pair came together after India had squeezed the middle overs almost dry.

The match is the first of three at the same ground, on 23, 25 and 28 October, and the first ODI the two countries have ever played. It is also Smriti Mandhana's first ODI since she was confirmed as India's captain in all three formats.

Zimbabwe lose Phiri in the third over

Kranti Gaud struck early, Loryn Phiri driving a return catch back to the bowler to go for 1 from 9 balls with the score 3 for 1.

Mupachikwa and Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano then put together the innings' only stand of substance, carrying Zimbabwe to 46 before the second wicket fell in the 11th over.

Mugeri-Tiripano had been the more fluent of the two, striking three fours in 21 from 27 balls before she was trapped lbw.

Mupachikwa's own innings was built on four boundaries and a good deal of watchfulness, her strike rate sitting in the mid-fifties as the overs went by.

Charani squeezes the middle overs

The lbw went to Sree Charani, whose left-arm spin has been the hardest of India's attack to get away. Her first 3.4 overs cost three runs and contained a maiden.

Gaud completed her four overs for 1 for 20, and Deepti Sharma's single over was a wicketless maiden.

Sayali Satghare conceded 13 from three overs, leaving Zimbabwe to rebuild through a middle order that has not had to bat from this position in the format before.

Mandhana's first ODI in charge

Mandhana was confirmed this month as India's captain across all formats, taking over from Harmanpreet Kaur, who stepped down from the job. Deepti Sharma is her vice-captain.

She had already led the side through the T20I leg of the tour, which India won 3-0, completing the sweep in Raipur on 20 October by 92 runs.

Harmanpreet made 91 not out from 41 balls in that match, with 10 fours and five sixes, as India posted 216 for 7 and held Zimbabwe to 124 for 7.

Shafali Verma made 69 from 37 in the same innings and Nandani Sharma took 3-18, though Nandani does not appear in this ODI XI.

Kalita comes straight into the XI

Jintimani Kalita, added to the squad only after Renuka Singh Thakur was ruled out of the series, was given a place in the side at once and bowled three overs for 18 inside the first 15.

The BCCI said Renuka "is still building up the bowling volume required for the 50-over format", which kept her out of a tour she had been expected to play.

India's XI read Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur, Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Charani, Kalita, Satghare and Gaud.

A series that counts for more than the scoreline

The three ODIs form part of the ICC Women's Championship 2025-29, the competition that shapes qualification for the next ODI World Cup, so the points matter beyond a bilateral result.

Deepti Sharma had said before the game that India saw little reason to tinker, telling reporters there was "no need for unnecessary changes" and that "the combination will be known just before the game".

For Zimbabwe, a first ODI against India is a step up from the T20Is, and the opening 15 overs suggested how hard runs will be to find.

Scorecard: Zimbabwe Women 55 for 2 from 14.4 overs (Modester Mupachikwa 25*, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano 21; Sree Charani 1-3, Kranti Gaud 1-20) v India Women, 1st ODI, Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara

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