Raipur, Oct 16 (IANS) India’s bowlers led by Nandni Sharma recovered from a sloppy start to restrict Zimbabwe to 114/5 in the first women’s T20I game here at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Sent in to bat by new India captain Smriti Mandhana, Zimbabwe relied almost entirely on Kelis Ndhlovu (42) and Sharne Mayers (43 not out) for their runs, as the pair contributed 85 runs of the team’s final total. In all, Zimbabwe played out 67 dot balls, leaving India, currently on an eight-match winning streak, a modest target of 115.

Nandani finished with outstanding figures of 2-11, while top-ranked T20I bowler N Sree Charani returned with 1-14 and Gaud took 1-16. Arundhati Reddy’s three overs cost 30 runs for her one wicket, while Deepti Sharma went wicketless for 22 runs from her four overs.

Zimbabwe lost Beloved Biza in the first over after being trapped lbw by Kranti for a four-ball duck. Kelis, though, set the early tempo, cutting and driving with authority as she raced to 42 off 32 balls.

India did not help their cause on the field. Anushka Sharma’s wild throw at the stumps in the first over ran away for four overthrows, and another missed run-out in the sixth over cost four more as Kranti failed to back up. The two missed chances could both have accounted for Kelis’ partners.

Zimbabwe reached 60/1 at the halfway mark, but struggled to build on that platform as India’s spinners tightened their grip. Charani, the leading wicket-taker in women’s T20Is this year, struck in the first over after the drinks break – taking a simple return catch to dismiss Modester Mupachikwa for 16.

India lost a review in the 11th over when Charani’s appeal for lbw against Kelis was shown to be missing leg stump. But a squeeze in run flow put pressure on Kelis – after reaching 42 off 30 balls, she did not add another run and faced 14 dot balls before her dismissal.

There was drama in the 15th over when debutant Niki Prasad ran in from long-off and took a diving catch to dismiss Kelis. Replays showed part of the ball had touched the turf as Prasad slid, and third umpire N Janani overturned the decision. The reprieve lasted only two deliveries as Arundhati castled Kelis with a dipping slower ball for 42 off 44 balls – a knock which included six fours.

Sharne then counter-attacked by taking 15 runs off Arundhati’s final over – a lofted six over long-off and two boundaries through the off side, as Zimbabwe went past 100. She had earlier struck the first six of the match off Shafali and looked good in middling the ball well.

But Nandni ensured there would be no big finish. Using her back-of-the-hand slower ball, she had Nyasha Gwanzura and Michelle Mavunga stumped by Richa Ghosh off successive deliveries in the final over. Though Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano denied her a hat-trick, Sharne remained unbeaten on 43 off 33 balls with four fours and two sixes.

Brief Scores: Zimbabwe 114/5 in 20 overs (Sharne Mayers 43 not out, Kelis Ndhlovu 42; Nandni Sharma 2-11, N Sree Charani 1-14) against India.

–IANS

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