Ball-by-Ball Commentary
- —INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 10:04 pm
India will be delighted with a convincing series win, which also marks Smriti Mandhana’s first series triumph as captain. She has impressed with her leadership so far, and today, she led from the front with a superb batting performance to cap off a memorable outing. Mandhana will now be keen to lead India to a clean sweep when they take on Zimbabwe in the third and final T20I at the same venue in a couple of days. Join us for the live coverage of that encounter! Goodbye for now..
- —INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 10:03 pm
Shafali 2/2: [On her favourite shot from the innings, particularly her cover drive against the pacers] Today's, of course, as you said, the cover one for the pacers, I think second, third over. So that one is my, you know, that gave me a lot of confidence. [On analysing her improved numbers and the positive shift in her performances] Yeah, of course. As I said, in 2025, when I sat back in my home, so on that time I just sit and just think what I can improve. So first of all, it came in my mind consistency, consistent, and just score for the team, and I think just analyze the Australian batters, the way they are, their batters doing the things. So just thinking that in my mind and just trying to, you know, get more runs for the team and just keep winning the things.
- —INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 10:02 pm
Shafali Verma | Player of the Match 1/2: [On Zimbabwe captain Josephine’s description of the batting performance as a masterclass] Yeah, of course. What I'm trying to hit the shots, it's going. So really happy. What I want, it's executing. [On dealing with disappointment after her dismissal in the first match and preparing mentally for the next game] And after yesterday's match, I can't even sleep, the way I got out in first match. But yeah, I'm just trying to, you know, hold my mind and just try to, you know, last day I'm just trying to, you know, just think what to do tomorrow. So just execute that. [On improving her approach against spin after being dismissed by a spinner in the previous match] First of all, the way I got out yesterday, first against the spinner, as a righty, it's not the correct thing for me. But yeah, I'm just trying to, you know, bend a bit and time the ball more. So just going simple by simple and just think, you know, if I'm not getting four or six, just trying to give the single and just executing the things which it's in my mind.
- —INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 10:00 pm
Smriti Mandhana | India captain: [On the team’s overall performance and assessment of the contest] Well, it was a good one today. I felt the bowlers were really at the mark today, much better than the first match. They were executing their yorkers, slower ones, bouncers really well. Then spinners, of course, Deepti, Shree, Niki coming in and bowling that two overs. So overall I feel like, yeah, the bowling unit really came together today. Of course, we could have gotten better with the catching today. That's something which we can be critical about. [On whether bowling fuller-length deliveries was a conscious tactical adjustment after the first match] Yeah, we discussed about, as we discussed in the last match, that the unknown - of course, we had seen a few batters from the Zimbabwe team, but again today we had much better plans in a way because we knew what they batted in the first game. So yeah, we had a lot of good plans, but you know you can plan as much as you can, but bowlers have to come and execute, and today I felt they were really on the mark. [On Zimbabwe captain Josephine’s description of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma’s batting as a masterclass] Well, Shafali doing her thing in the powerplay, the way she was just whacking, I was really happy to give her a single. And whenever my chances came, I took those on. But yeah, I mean, that's the brand of cricket we would love playing and we'll keep continuing doing that.
- —INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 09:48 pm
Josephine Nkomo | Zimbabwe captain: [On Zimbabwe’s performance compared with the first game and his assessment of the contest] I thought that was a batting masterclass by the Indian team. We just stood there and had to watch and learn, and there's no better way to learn than actually experiencing the carnage that happened out there. [On Zimbabwe’s middle-order resistance, changes to the batting order, and the thinking behind the revised game plan] Yeah, I think the main difference today was we didn't have a good start in the powerplay, and let's just hope in the next game, hopefully we'll have a good start, set a good foundation for everyone else to finish off the game well and not expose our bowlers. [On the lessons learned from the first two matches and how the group can improve] I think, yeah, like I said before, there's quite a lot to learn, and the best way is to just watch them the way they bat. I think if we can take a leaf out of their book, that'll be really good for us.
- —INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 09:28 pm
Stats by Roshan Gede
- —INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 09:28 pm
India Women’s 17th T20I win in 2026 (26 matches), their most in a calendar year. They had won 16 out of 23 completed games in 2018.
- —INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 09:28 pm
Most 50-plus scores in a calendar year 9 - Shafali Verma (IND-W) in 2026 8 - Smriti Mandhana (IND-W) in 2024 7 - Mithali Raj (IND-W) in 2018 7 - Natasha Miles (HKG-W) in 2026
- —INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 09:28 pm
Most runs in a calendar year in Women’s T20Is 922 - Shafali Verma (IND-W) in 2026 824 - Laura Wolvaardt (SA-W) in 2026 821 - Smriti Mandhana (IND-W) in 2026 800 - Natasha Miles (HKG-W) in 2026 779 - Esha Oza (UAE-W) in 2025 779 - Yasmin Daswani (HKG-W) in 2026
- —INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 09:28 pm
Victories with most balls to spare in a 100-plus chase in Women’s T20Is 67 - IND-W vs ZIM-W, Raipur, 2026 (T: 103) 65 - WI-W vs ZIM-W, Harare, 2026 (T: 107) 60 - ENG-W vs SCOT-W, Sharjah, 2024 (T: 110) 59 - Brazil-W vs Spain-W, Embrach, 2026 (T: 143) 58 - Portugal-W vs Belgium-W, Vinor, 2026 (T: 107) 57 - IND-W vs WI-W, Gros Islet, 2019 (T: 104)
- —INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 09:28 pm
21:28 Local Time, 15:58 GMT, 21:28 IST: A convincing win for India as they seal the 3-match T20I series with an unassailable 2-0 lead. Their bowling was impressive, the fielding could have been sharper, but today they were a class apart in terms of batting. Zimbabwe managed to cross the 100-run mark, thanks in part to a few missed chances by the Indian fielders. However, the Indian batters more than made up for those lapses with an exceptional performance with the bat. Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana came out all guns blazing, powering India to a stunning 76 runs in the powerplay. From there, it was one-way traffic as India made light work of the chase, wrapping up the target in just 8.5 overs. 10 consecutive wins for India in this format. They have been on a roll and it has been a sensational run for them. Stay tuned in for the presentation..
- 8.5INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 09:25 pm
Olinder Chare to Smriti Mandhana, SIX, Smriti Mandhana finishes off in style - it's the Indian skipper who launches it over the boundary. Advances down the wicket and clears wide long-off with a beautifully timed lofted six. An unbeaten knock of 47* as India go 2-0 up in the series
- 8.4INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 09:24 pm
Olinder Chare to Anushka Sharma, 1 run, tossed up delivery around off, driven to long-off for a single
- 8.3INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 09:24 pm
Olinder Chare to Anushka Sharma, no run, clipped towards mid-wicket by Anushka Sharma
- 8.2INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 09:24 pm
Olinder Chare to Anushka Sharma, no run, tad fuller around off, pushed towards mid-off by Anushka Sharma
- 8.1INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 09:23 pm
Olinder Chare to Smriti Mandhana, 1 run, tossed up delivery around off, driven to long-off for a single
- 7.6INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 09:22 pm
Beloved Biza to Anushka Sharma, no run, tad short on middle and leg, nudged through mid-wicket
- —INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 09:22 pm
Anushka Sharma, right handed bat, comes to the crease
- 7.5wicketINDW· 18 Oct 2026, 09:21 pm
Beloved Biza to Shafali Verma, out Caught by Tendai Makusha! Makusha takes a safe catch at long-on, with her shades on. Shafali Verma had launched this towards wide long-on, where the fielder takes it. She walks back after playing a fantastic innings. Shafali Verma c Tendai Makusha b Beloved Biza 55(25) [4s-6 6s-4]
- —INDW· 18 Oct 2026, 09:21 pm
Beloved Biza to Shafali Verma, THATS OUT!! Caught!!