# Pratika Rawal Lights Up Harare With Third ODI Century As India Crush Zimbabwe By Nine Wickets > Opening batter Pratika Rawal scored an unbeaten 100 to guide India to a comprehensive nine-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the opening ODI on 23 October. **Type:** article · **Category:** Cricket · **Published:** 2026-10-24 · **Source:** TrendKia **Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/cricket/zimbabwe-para-9-viketa-ki-dhamakedara-jita-men-chamakin-pratika-rawal-tisara-odi-shataka-jarakara-smriti-mandhana-ki-vishishta-suc-51130 · **Language:** English **Tags:** Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, India Women Cricket Team, India vs Zimbabwe ODI, Shree Charani The Indian women cricket team began their one-day international series against Zimbabwe on an emphatic note, cruising to a commanding nine-wicket win in the opening fixture on 23 October. The architects of this one-sided victory were opening batter Pratika Rawal, who composed a masterly unbeaten century, and a clinical bowling unit that restricted Zimbabwe to 197 runs. Needing 198 for victory, the Indian lineup overhauled the total in just 27 overs with the loss of a solitary wicket, securing an early 1-0 advantage in the series. ## Pratika Rawal Joins Smriti Mandhana in Rare Elite Circle With her commanding century, Pratika Rawal etched her name into an elite historical bracket in Indian women cricket. The all-time list for the most ODI centuries scored by an Indian opening batter is led by Smriti Mandhana, who boasts 14 hundreds at the top of the order. Following this latest hundred, Rawal took her career ODI century tally to three, making her only the second Indian opener after Mandhana to score three or more centuries in the format. Prior to this match, multiple celebrated stalwarts of the Indian women team sat tied on two centuries as ODI openers. Former captain Mithali Raj, Poonam Raut, Thirush Kamini, and Jaya Sharma had each compiled two hundreds while opening the innings. By bringing up her third century in this encounter, Rawal moved clear of those four names to claim sole possession of second place on that historic register. ## Explosive Half-Centuries From Mandhana and Shafali Decimate Target Chasing 198 runs, the Indian team never gave Zimbabwe an opportunity to build sustained bowling pressure. Captain Smriti Mandhana joined forces with Pratika Rawal to construct a destructive opening stand worth 94 runs. Mandhana assumed the role of aggressor from ball one, compiling a blistering 62 runs off just 34 deliveries before being dismissed. Her explosive innings laid the foundation for an effortless chase, keeping the required run rate well under control. Following Mandhana departure, Shafali Verma walked in at number three and accelerated the scoring even further. Shafali remained unbeaten on 64 off a mere 33 deliveries, peppering the boundary ropes with five fours and four towering sixes. At the other end, Rawal anchored the innings with poise before accelerating toward her milestone. She completed her unbeaten 100 off 96 deliveries, striking 15 boundaries along the way. Rawal and Shafali stitched together an unbroken second-wicket partnership of 106 runs, safely taking India past the target inside 27 overs. ## Shree Charani and Kranti Gaur Restrict Zimbabwe to 197 Earlier in the day, the Indian bowling unit set up the triumph by dismantling Zimbabwe for 197 runs. Left-arm spinner Shree Charani delivered the finest spell of her international career, capturing four wickets while conceding only 23 runs. Her disciplined lines and variations stifled Zimbabwe middle order and prevented any substantial partnerships from developing. Pacer Kranti Gaur provided ideal support from the opposite end, claiming three wickets to maintain continuous pressure on the hosts. For Zimbabwe, the sole notable resistance came from Beloved Biza, who fought hard to compile a steady half-century of 62 runs. However, with the Indian bowlers striking regularly and denying her any consistent support from the other end, Zimbabwe innings folded well before completing a competitive total. ## What this means for you India dominant nine-wicket victory underscores the growing bench strength and attacking mentality of the national women squad. - **For Cricket Followers:** The rapid run chase completed in just 27 overs highlights modern, high-tempo batting across the Indian top order. Fans can expect higher entertainment value and consistent dominance in bilateral series. - **Impact on Team Selection:** Pratika Rawal emergence as a prolific opening batter gives India a dependable anchor who can accelerate when required. This reliability offers the batting order greater tactical flexibility in major international tournaments. - **Inspiration for Emerging Talents:** The match-winning performances by Shree Charani and Kranti Gaur show that younger bowling talents are stepping up on the international stage. Domestic performers can see a clear path to national success through disciplined execution. - **Series Outlook:** Taking a 1-0 series lead puts India firmly in the driving seat for the remaining fixtures. Zimbabwe now faces immense pressure to regroup and find answers against India formidable batting lineup. ## Why this happened India comprehensive victory was driven by a clinical bowling performance followed by relentless aggression from the top-order batters. - **Disciplined Bowling Spells:** Left-arm spinner Shree Charani delivered a career-best spell of 4 for 23, thoroughly destabilizing Zimbabwe batting lineup. Pacer Kranti Gaur complemented her with three crucial dismissals, bowling the hosts out for 197. - **Lack of Resistance From Zimbabwe:** Apart from Beloved Biza resilient 62, no other Zimbabwe batter managed to settle against India disciplined lines. A continuous tumble of wickets prevented them from building any meaningful partnerships. - **Aggressive Top-Order Approach:** Smriti Mandhana rapid 62 off 34 balls neutralized Zimbabwe bowling early in the chase. Pratika Rawal and Shafali Verma then capitalized on the momentum with an unbroken 106-run stand to finish the match inside 27 overs. ## Questions & Answers ### 1. What was Pratika Rawal score in the first ODI against Zimbabwe? Pratika Rawal scored an unbeaten 100 off 96 deliveries, hitting 15 boundaries. ### 2. What was the margin and timing of India victory? India chased down the 198-run target in 27 overs with the loss of one wicket, winning the contest by nine wickets. ### 3. Which Indian openers have scored three or more centuries in women ODIs? Only Smriti Mandhana with 14 centuries and Pratika Rawal with 3 centuries have achieved three or more ODI tons as openers for India. ### 4. Who was India most successful bowler in this match? Left-arm spinner Shree Charani recorded career-best figures of 4 wickets for 23 runs. ### 5. How many runs did Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma score? Smriti Mandhana struck 62 runs from 34 balls, while Shafali Verma remained unbeaten on 64 off 33 deliveries. ## Inspiration & Lessons Pratika Rawal century serves as a textbook example of composure, role clarity, and capitalizing on big opportunities. - **Seizing the Opportunity:** Rawal made the most of her opening role by constructing an unbeaten hundred rather than settling for a modest score. It shows that real progress comes when opportunities are converted into landmark achievements. - **Playing to Personal Strengths:** While Mandhana and Shafali attacked aggressively, Rawal anchored the innings with calculated boundary hitting. Sticking to one own rhythm rather than imitating others is critical for long-term consistency. - **Earning Elite Recognition:** Reaching a milestone shared only with Smriti Mandhana proves that sustained focus and disciplined execution can rapidly place a performer among the very best. --- _TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._