Mumbai: India beat Zimbabwe by nine wickets in the second T20I in Raipur, taking an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. On JioStar’s Cricket Live, experts Reema Malhotra and Poonam Yadav discussed the opening stand between Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana, Mandhana’s captaincy, and how India are shaping up for the ICC Women’s Champions Trophy 2027.
Reema Malhotra on Shafali Verma
Malhotra said Shafali’s fast starts put opposition teams on the back foot straight away, which lets the middle order bat freely. That allows Mandhana to play the anchor, knowing Shafali will keep the scoreboard moving. She also noticed a clear change in Shafali’s approach: she no longer bats only in the powerplay and now carries on responsibly after the first six overs, valuing her wicket more. In Malhotra’s view, Shafali is the best T20I batter in the world right now.
On Mandhana’s captaincy
Malhotra enjoyed watching Mandhana lead, saying she reads the game and makes her own calls instead of following a fixed plan. She pointed to the new ball going to Nandni Sharma, young Niki Prasad being trusted with the death overs to learn under pressure, and Shafali being brought on to bowl when Zimbabwe threatened a fightback. Malhotra felt this showed a captain who is comfortable with the weight of the job, and who is drawing on her RCB and WPL experience.
On the pace attack
The pacers impressed Malhotra with their discipline and clarity, setting up batters and bowling to plan rather than just chasing wickets. She cautioned that there is plenty left to do. Using an exam comparison, she described the Zimbabwe series as the semester tests, the South Africa tour as the pre-boards, and the Champions Trophy as the final boards. Consistency and variation will be essential, because stronger teams will punish any lapse.
Poonam Yadav on the win
Yadav said the result showed India had done their homework. They made mistakes in the opening game, which she felt was understandable since the players were facing Zimbabwe’s bowlers for the first time, but they learned from them and didn’t repeat them. She called that the mark of a well-led side. Mandhana, who struggled in the first match, used her experience this time, moving her feet well, using the depth of the crease and building a strong partnership with Shafali. If India keep improving at this rate, Yadav sees no reason they can’t lift the Champions Trophy next year.
On the Mandhana-Shafali partnership
Yadav called the pair the pillars of India’s batting. She said they score through timing as well as power, adapting to the situation so that bowlers never get on top. After both fell early in the previous game, she saw a clear determination in them to make up for it, and they set up the chase with a confident stand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=RtToJsBhYBatUrym&v=mOuYNSdhjHA&feature=youtu.be
