India all-rounder Deepti Sharma broke a nine-year, five-month century drought in Women's ODIs on Sunday, 26 October 2025, scoring an unbeaten 106 off 86 balls against Zimbabwe at the BCA Stadium, Vadodara, as India posted 328/6 and sealed a series-clinching 121-run win in the second ODI. The knock — her second ODI hundred — came 3,450 days after her maiden century, a stunning 188 off 160 balls against Ireland in May 2017.

A Knock Built on Partnership

Deepti, who struck 15 boundaries in her unbeaten innings, found a crucial ally in former skipper Harmanpreet Kaur as the two combined for a 153-run fifth-wicket stand that powered India to a commanding total. Deepti later revealed that reaching three figures was secondary to building a partnership. 'I think more than 100 was in my mind. How can we build a partnership in that situation? That was the mindset. And obviously, 100 is special. It feels good to reach after such a long time. And I am grateful that I was able to achieve that on the ground of Baroda,' she said.

The Long Wait and Unwavering Belief

The gap between Deepti's two ODI centuries stands at nine years and five months — among the longest such intervals in women's ODI cricket. Despite the extended wait, the all-rounder said her self-belief never wavered. 'I tried a lot, but it took a lot of time to reach. But I believed in my hard work that I would reach (another century) sooner or later,' she said, according to the ICC on Monday.

Deepti's All-Round Contribution

Deepti's impact extended beyond the bat. Bowling her off-spin in the second innings, she picked up a three-wicket haul, helping bundle Zimbabwe out for 207 in their chase of 329. It was a textbook all-round performance — one that underlined her value as a match-winner across both departments. This is Deepti's most impactful game since her return to consistent ODI form, and it could not have come at a better stage with the series already secured.

Zimbabwe Put Up a Fight

Zimbabwe made a spirited effort in the chase before eventually folding, and Deepti was generous in acknowledging their competitiveness. 'They played (well) in the first ODI as well. They have good batters in their team as well. We cannot say that they are a weak team or play differently. But they gave us a fight,' she said. She further credited her side's bowling unit collectively: 'We knew that we could dismiss them given our bowling unit. That was the mindset. And I think all the bowlers did a good job. In fact, the whole team gave a good performance.'

What's Next

With the two-match series already secured, India and Zimbabwe face off in the third and final ODI at Vadodara on Wednesday. India will look to complete a clean sweep, while Zimbabwe will seek a consolation win to finish the tour on a positive note.