India beat Zimbabwe in opening T20I, lead series 1-0

India beat Zimbabwe by four wickets in the opening match of their three-game women’s T20I series, recovering from an early collapse to chase 115 in 15.4 overs. The teams were scheduled to meet again in Raipur on October 18, with India holding a 1-0 lead. Zimbabwe made 114 for five in their 20 overs after being asked to bat. Kelis Ndhlovu scored 42 and Sharne Mayers was unbeaten on 43, while India’s bowlers kept the total within reach. Nandani Sharma took two wickets for India, according to the match account. India’s reply faltered quickly, falling to 19 for four as Zimbabwe off-spinner Nyasha Gwanzura took three wickets for 18 runs. Captain Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma and Harmanpreet Kaur were among the early dismissals. Deepti Sharma and debutant Niki Prasad steadied the chase with an 82-run partnership. Deepti made 49 from 37 balls, and Prasad finished unbeaten on 39 from 35. Their stand brought India back into the match and helped the team reach 116 for six with 26 balls remaining. The result gave India the lead in the three-match series, while Zimbabwe’s bowling offered a route to challenge the hosts in the second game. India would seek a more stable start, having lost...