Deepti Sharma and debutant Niki Prasad lift India past Zimbabwe after 19/4 collapse

India beat Zimbabwe by four wickets in the first women's T20I in Raipur on October 16 after Deepti Sharma and debutant Niki Prasad rescued a chase that had slipped to 19/4. Their 82-run fifth-wicket partnership turned a target of 115 into a victory with 4.2 overs remaining.

Zimbabwe had made 114/5 from its 20 overs. India finished on 116/6 in 15.4 overs, according to CricTracker, after losing four wickets inside the first four overs. The stand between Sharma and Prasad accounted for most of the runs India needed when they came together.

How India recovered from 19/4

Sharma responded with 49 from 37 balls, while Prasad made an unbeaten 39 from 35 in her T20I debut. Their fifth-wicket stand came from 63 deliveries, CricTracker reported. Sharma was dismissed one run short of a half-century, sweeping to short fine leg off Chare, according to the IANS match report carried by OMMCOM News.

Richa Ghosh then hit a six before Beloved Biza dismissed her. Prasad completed the chase by driving Tendai Makusha for four, OMMCOM News reported. CricTracker said Sharma received the Player of the Match award. The win came in Mandhana's first match as India's full-time T20I captain, according to Yahoo Sports.

Zimbabwe's total and early wickets

Kelis Ndhlovu scored 42 and Sharne Mayers finished unbeaten on 43 for Zimbabwe. The IANS report said Zimbabwe reached 60/1 at the halfway point before India's bowlers restricted the scoring through the middle overs. Sree Charani returned figures of 1/14 from four overs, while Nandani Sharma took two wickets for 11 runs, including stumpings off successive balls in the final over.

Zimbabwe's bowlers then threatened to make that total enough. Gwanzura's three early dismissals and Mavunga's wicket reduced India to 19/4, but Sharma and Prasad carried the chase beyond the danger point before India reached its target with 26 balls left.