India Women stand one win away from sealing the T20I series as they face Zimbabwe Women in the second T20I at Raipur on Sunday evening. The hosts took the opener by four wickets on Friday, chasing down Zimbabwe’s 114 with more than four overs to spare, and now have the chance to wrap up the three-match series with a game in hand.
For Smriti Mandhana, this series is her first international assignment as India’s captain, and a series win at the first attempt would be the ideal start. Zimbabwe, playing their first-ever bilateral T20I series against India, showed fight in the opener but will need a big improvement with the bat to stay alive in the series.
Match Details: Date, Time and Venue
- Match: India Women vs Zimbabwe Women, 2nd T20I — Zimbabwe Women tour of India 2026
- Date: Sunday, October 18, 2026
- Time: 7:00 PM IST
- Venue: Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur
- Series status: India lead 1-0 (3-match series; 3rd T20I on October 20)
Squads and Probable Playing XIs
India Women squad: Smriti Mandhana (c), Shafali Verma (vc), Richa Ghosh (wk), G Kamalini (wk), Niki Prasad, Harmanpreet Kaur, Anushka Sharma, Deepti Sharma, Prema Rawat, Sree Charani, Nandni Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy, Jintimani Kalita, Minnu Mani.
Zimbabwe Women squad: Josephine Nkomo (c), Chiedza Dhururu (wk), Modester Mupachikwa (wk), Michelle Mavunga, Kudzai Chigora, Nyasha Gwanzura, Sharne Mayers, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Tendai Makusha, Beloved Biza, Francisca Chipare, Kelis Ndhlovu, Olinder Chare, Nomvelo Sibanda, Loryn Phiri.
India Women probable XI: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana (c), Anushka Sharma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Niki Prasad, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Shree Charani, Arundhati Reddy, Nandani Sharma, Kranti Gaud.
Zimbabwe Women probable XI: Kelis Ndhlovu, Beloved Biza, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Sharne Mayers, Michelle Mavunga, Nyasha Gwanzura, Francisca Chipare, Modester Mupachikwa (wk), Josephine Nkomo (c), Olinder Chare, Tendai Makusha.
Deepti Sharma was the standout of the first game with an unbeaten 49 off 37 balls, while the young Niki Prasad impressed with 39 off 35. For Zimbabwe, captain Josephine Nkomo will demand more from her batters after the 114 all-out — Sharne Mayers and Kelis Ndhlovu are the key names at the top.
Head-to-Head Record
This is the first-ever bilateral T20I series between the two sides. India won the only previous meeting — the series opener on October 16 — by four wickets, so the head-to-head stands at 1-0 in India’s favour.
Pitch and Weather Report
The Raipur surface in the first game offered early swing and seam movement with the new ball before settling down, and dew in the second innings made chasing the smarter option — a pattern likely to repeat under lights. It is a relatively small ground with short boundaries, so batters who get set can score quickly. Expect a clear, humid Sunday evening around 28-32°C with virtually no chance of rain.
Where to Watch: Live Streaming and TV
- India: Star Sports Network (TV); JioHotstar (live streaming)
- Entry is free for women spectators at the stadium in Raipur, an initiative to promote women’s cricket. Streaming details for other regions will be confirmed closer to the game.
FAQs
When is the India Women vs Zimbabwe Women 2nd T20I? Sunday, October 18, 2026, at 7:00 PM IST at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur.
Who won the 1st T20I between India Women and Zimbabwe Women? India Women won by four wickets. Zimbabwe scored 114 in 20 overs; India chased it in 15.4 overs, with Deepti Sharma unbeaten on 49.
Where can I watch India Women vs Zimbabwe Women live? In India, on the Star Sports Network (TV) and JioHotstar (streaming).
Can India seal the series in the 2nd T20I? Yes — India lead 1-0 in the three-match series, so a win in Raipur on Sunday seals the series with a game to spare.
Who is captaining India Women in this series? Smriti Mandhana, in her first international series as India’s captain.
Conclusion
India are firm favourites to close out the series on Sunday. Their bowling attack was too disciplined for Zimbabwe in the opener, and the batting depth bailed them out of a minor wobble in the chase. Zimbabwe need their senior batters to stand up and post something their bowlers can defend. Anything less than 140 will be hard to defend against this Indian line-up, especially with dew around.
Pingback: India Women vs Zimbabwe Women, 3rd T20I 2026: Date, Time, Venue, Squads & Where to Watch