Zimbabwe slip to 119 for 6 as India close in on a 3-0 sweep in Vadodara

Zimbabwe have slipped to 119 for 6 after choosing to bat in Vadodara, leaving India on course for a 3-0 sweep of the one-day series

Zimbabwe captain Josephine Nkomo won the toss and opted to bat in the third and final one-day international at the Kotambi Stadium, and her side were 119 for 6 from 32.3 overs as this report was filed, with India yet to begin their reply.

The series is already decided. India won the first match by nine wickets and the second by 121 runs, and a third victory would complete a clean sweep of Smriti Mandhana's first assignment as full-time ODI captain.

Nkomo had said at the toss that the pitch looked good for batting and that a total of 250 to 260 would give her side a real chance of defending something for the first time on this tour. Her batters have not got close to that platform.

A toss call that has not paid off

Batting first has been Zimbabwe's choice throughout the series, and for the third time it has left them rebuilding rather than setting a target.

At 119 for 6 with 17 and a half overs remaining, the tourists need a long stand from the lower middle order simply to reach the 197 they managed in the opening match of the series.

India's figures for this innings were not available from the match feed at the time of filing, so the individual contributions on both sides remain to be confirmed from the full scorecard.

India rotate for the dead rubber

Mandhana made three changes for the final match, bringing in Kranti Gaud, Harleen Deol and Yastika Bhatia, who takes the gloves.

The captain framed the selection as preparation rather than experiment. "Try and see what's the best combination," she said at the toss, adding that she wanted three seamers available for the night matches and the dew that comes with them.

One notable absentee is Shree Charani, whose career-best 4-23 broke the Zimbabwe innings in the series opener and who is left out of this XI.

India field Pratika Rawal, Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Yastika Bhatia, Sayali Satghare, Jintimani Kalita, Kranti Gaud and Vaishnavi Sharma.

How the series was won

Zimbabwe were bowled out for 197 in the first ODI on 23 October, Charani taking four and Kranti Gaud three, with Beloved Biza's 62 from 92 balls the only substantial resistance.

Pratika Rawal then made an unbeaten 100 from 96 balls and Shafali Verma 64 from 33 as India chased it down with more than 22 overs in hand.

The second match was more emphatic still. Harmanpreet Kaur's 126 from 121 balls and Deepti Sharma's unbeaten 106 from 83 carried India to 328 for 6, their fifth-wicket stand of 153 the highest India Women have managed for that wicket in one-day internationals.

Zimbabwe were dismissed for 207 in reply and lost by 121 runs.

Zimbabwe still looking for a first win

The tourists have been competitive in passages without sustaining it across fifty overs, and the batting has repeatedly stalled once the opening partnership has gone.

Nkomo's side will leave India without a win unless the lower order can both bat out the innings and find a total India's top three have to work for.

What is at stake in the final hour

For India the match is about combinations rather than the result, with the captain openly using it to settle on a bowling attack for conditions to come.

For Zimbabwe it is the last chance on this tour to put a competitive score on the board, and that chance now rests with the batters still to come.

Zimbabwe Women were 119 for 6 from 32.3 overs at the time of writing, with India Women yet to bat.

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