Vadodara: At 19 for 2, with Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma already back in the pavilion, India's innings had the shape of a scramble. It ended as a declaration in all but name — 328 for 6 in 50 overs, and a 121-run win that sealed the series with a match to spare.
Harmanpreet Kaur made 126 off 121 balls. Deepti Sharma, named vice-captain recently, made an unbeaten 106 off 86. Pratika Rawal, who had centuried in the first match, contributed 61. Between them, Kaur and Deepti took India from 148 for 4 to 301 for 5.
For Kaur it was an eighth ODI hundred. For Deepti it was a second, nine years after the first — a wait that says something about how long she has been asked to be the all-rounder rather than the batter.
Zimbabwe were bowled out for 207 in 48.5 overs. Vaishnavi Sharma, returning to the side, took 4 for 39. Deepti chipped in with 3 for 32, and Jintimani Kalita closed it out with her maiden ODI wicket. Modester Mupachikwa made 49 and Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano batted through the middle before both fell in the forties.
Kaur, named player of the match, said she had enjoyed batting without the pressure of captaincy and wanted to keep approaching the game the same way. She also said she had been down with fever the previous night and was hoping painkillers would see her through to the next game.
Mandhana, the captain, said the biggest positive was the recovery from 19 for 2 to a total above 300, and credited Kaur, Rawal and Deepti. She also praised Zimbabwe's fielding, estimating it saved them 20 to 30 runs, and called it a good sign for the women's game.
Zimbabwe captain Josephine Nkomo said her side had been better with line and length with the new ball and at the death, and that Mupachikwa and Mugeri-Tiripano could have kicked on after getting to their forties.
The third and final ODI is on Wednesday, October 28.