Smriti Mandhana’s Team India could hand an ODI debut to pacer Nandini Sharma in the first game vs Zimbabwe at Vadodara on Friday with Renuka Thakur ruled out of the series
Updated: October 23, 2026, 12:09 PM IST
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Smriti Mandhana (From left), Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma(Image: AI)
India Women vs Zimbabwe Women 2026 1st ODI: Smriti Mandhana will take charge as full-time captain as she gets ready to lead India women cricket team in the first game of three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi in Vadodara on FridayThe home side are coming into this series after whitewashing Zimbabwe 3-0 in a T20I series earlier this week.
It will be the first-ever ODI match between India and Zimbabwe in ODI cricket as the hosts go up against the reigning ODI World Cup championsHowever, the home side have lost the services of pacer Renuka Thakur for the ODI series“She is still building up the bowling volume required for the 50-over format at the BCCI Centre of Excellence,” a BCCI statement read on Thursday.
The Women’s Selection Committee has named Jintimani Kalita as a replacementJintimani, who was part of the just-concluded T20I series in Raipur, has travelled with the team to Baroda but her selection for the ODI match is not guaranteed.
It will be interesting to see if Smriti Mandhana will hand an ODI debut to pacer Nandini Sharma, after she claimed six wickets in the T20I series win“The combination will be known just before the gameIt will be good for the team if we can settle on a good combination, whether as bowlers or battersWhatever combination we choose will be good for the team,” Team India vice-captain Deepti Sharma said in the pre-match press conference in Vadodara.
Indians also have the option of playing left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma to pair up with leading T20I spinners Shree Charani and Deepti Sharma“Whether it is T20Is or ODIs, we always try to do well as a team, and we are doing thatThere is no need for unnecessary changesWhatever we have been doing well, we want to repeat,” Deepti Sharma said.
Smriti Mandhana’s side will be pleased with the return to form of former captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who smashed 91 not out in 41 balls in the third T20I match earlier this weekWith Pratika Rawal returning to partner Smriti Mandhana at the top of the order, T20I vice-captain Shafali Verma should move down to the No3 position.
Josephine Nkomo’s Zimbabwe, on the other hand, rotated the players in their squad in the T20I seriesNomvelo Sibanda, Francisca Chipare, Tendai Makusha and Michelle Mavunga could be their pace bowling options in the first ODI.
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Excited for the responsibility and determined to win games for India, hear what the all-rounder has to say about her new role!
Watch her in #INDvZIM | 1st ODI FRI, OCT 23, 1:50 PM https://t.co/cdyEVF6Z2N
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) October 23, 2026
India Women vs Zimbabwe Women 2026 1st ODI match Predicted 11
India Women: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana (c), Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Kranti Gaud, Vaishnavi Sharma, Shree Charani, Nandani Sharma/Sayali Satghare
Zimbabwe Women: Modester Mupachikwa (wk), Kelis Ndhlovu, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Beloved Biza, Josephine Nkomo (c), Sharne Mayers/Chiyedza Dhururu, Nyasha Gwanzura, Michelle Mavunga, Nomvelo Sibanda, Francisca Chipare, Olinder Chare/Tendai Makusha
