Zimbabwe Women skipper Josephine Nkomo won the toss and elected to bat first against India Women in the third and final One-Day International at the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium in Kotambi.
Having already pocketed the three-match series with an unassailable 2-0 lead, Team India enter the final encounter with a single-minded focus: executing a clinical 3-0 series sweep.
Toss Decision & Team Changes
After winning the flip of the coin on a warm afternoon in Kotambi, Josephine Nkomo had no hesitation in opting to put runs on the board. Addressing the match, Nkomo emphasized that competing against top-tier opposition like India provides invaluable exposure for her squad.
“Definitely, the exposure is good. It feels good to see the small wins, but I know we can do better,” Nkomo noted at the toss, highlighting her side’s ambition to put up a competitive total on a fresh pitch.
India stand-in skipper Smriti Mandhana expressed confidence in her bowling group to strike early with the new ball. Mandhana confirmed three tactical rotations in India’s Playing XI:
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Harleen Deol returns to the middle order.
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Yastika Bhatia takes over wicketkeeping duties.
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Kranti Goud re-joins the seam bowling lineup.
India’s Quest for Perfection
The hosts have dominated the bilateral leg. India swept the preceding T20I series 3-0 before producing dominant performances in the first two ODIs—winning the opener by nine wickets and cruising to a 121-run victory in the second match behind centuries from Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma.
| Match | Result | Key Highlight |
| 1st ODI | India won by 9 wickets | Dominant run-chase in Vadodara |
| 2nd ODI | India won by 121 runs | Tons from Harmanpreet Kaur & Deepti Sharma |
| 3rd ODI | In Progress | Zimbabwe opted to bat first |
With upcoming high-profile assignments on the horizon, India will look to restrict Zimbabwe to a modest score and wrap up another flawless international series at home.
Playing XIs
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Zimbabwe Women: Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Sharne Mayers, Modester Mupachikwa (wk), Josephine Nkomo (c), Ashley Ndiraya, Marry-Anne Musonda, Loreen Tshuma, Precious Marange, Nomvelo Sibanda, Audrey Mazvishaya, Francisca Chipare.
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India Women: Smriti Mandhana (c), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Dayalan Hemalatha, Deepti Sharma, Sayali Satghare, Jintimani Kalita, Radha Yadav, Kranti Goud, Vaishnavi Sharma.
