Harmanpreet Kaur's 91* off 41 balls fires India Women to 216/7 vs Zimbabwe in Raipur T20I
Synopsis
Harmanpreet Kaur's unbeaten 91 off just 41 balls — including a fifty off 25 deliveries — transformed a steady Indian innings into a 216-run assault in Raipur. With the series already sealed 2-0, India are now chasing their first-ever clean sweep against Zimbabwe Women, and Harmanpreet's late-innings blitz has set the tone.
Key Takeaways
Harmanpreet Kaur scored an unbeaten 91 off 41 balls , reaching her fifty off just 25 deliveries .
India Women posted 216/7 in 20 overs against Zimbabwe Women in the 3rd T20I in Raipur on 20 October 2026 .
Shafali Verma struck a quickfire 69 off 37 balls , registering her second successive half-century of the series.
Opening pair Shafali Verma and Anushka Sharma shared a 54-run stand before Sharma departed for 28 .
Beloved Biza was Zimbabwe's best bowler with 3 wickets , but went for 50 runs in 4 overs .
India have already won the series 2-0 and are targeting their first-ever clean sweep against Zimbabwe Women.
Harmanpreet Kaur delivered a stunning late-innings blitz, smashing an unbeaten 91 off 41 balls to propel India Women to a commanding 216/7 in 20 overs against Zimbabwe Women in the 3rd T20I at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on Tuesday, 20 October. India, who have already clinched the three-match series, opted to bat first — a decision aimed at giving their middle order additional game time ahead of future assignments.
Explosive Opening Stand Sets the Platform
India got off to a brisk start through a fresh opening combination of Shafali Verma and Anushka Sharma, who posted 54 runs together before Sharma was dismissed for 28 in the final over of the Power-play. The hosts reached 59/1 after six overs, with Shafali looking in commanding touch at the top.
Zimbabwe managed to apply the brakes after the Power-play, accounting for Niki Prasad cheaply for 9. However, Shafali pressed on, bringing up her second consecutive half-century before departing for a quickfire 69 off 37 balls. At the halfway stage, India sat comfortably at 91/2.
Harmanpreet Takes Centre Stage
The innings truly ignited when Harmanpreet assumed control in the second half. The former India captain reached her fifty off just 25 deliveries, accelerating with each passing over as she found the boundaries with remarkable regularity. She provided the crucial push India needed in the closing overs even as wickets tumbled at the other end, finishing unbeaten on 91 off 41 balls to anchor the innings to its massive conclusion.
Notably, this is the kind of finishing innings that has defined Harmanpreet's T20 career — aggressive, match-shaping, and timed to peak impact. Her knock came after a phase where India had conceded momentum in the middle overs, underlining her importance at No. 5 or 6 in crunch situations.
Zimbabwe Struggle to Contain India
For Zimbabwe, Beloved Biza was the standout wicket-taker, claiming 3 wickets, but at a heavy cost — she conceded 50 runs in 4 overs. The visitors struggled throughout to contain India's scoring rate, with their bowlers unable to consistently hit good lengths against the aggressive Indian batting lineup. They will need a dramatically improved batting display to have any hope of chasing down 216.
Series Sealed, Clean Sweep in Sight
India had already wrapped up the three-match T20I series with victories in the first two games and are now targeting a clean sweep against Zimbabwe Women — their first-ever such result against this opposition. With a target of 217 on the board, Zimbabwe face a near-impossible task in what has been a dominant series display by the Indian side.
Brief Scores: India Women 216/7 in 20 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 91 not out, Shafali Verma 69; Beloved Biza 3/50) vs Zimbabwe Women.
Point of View
And Shafali's second consecutive fifty reinforces her value at the top. The more interesting question is what this total means for India's bowling lineup: handing Zimbabwe a target of 217 in a dead rubber is an opportunity to test depth, rotation, and the bench before higher-stakes bilateral assignments.
NationPress
20 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many did Harmanpreet Kaur score in the 3rd T20I against Zimbabwe?
Harmanpreet Kaur scored an unbeaten 91 off 41 balls in the 3rd T20I against Zimbabwe in Raipur on 20 October. She reached her half-century off just 25 deliveries in a match-defining innings.
What was India Women's total in the 3rd T20I in Raipur?
India Women posted 216/7 in 20 overs against Zimbabwe Women in the 3rd T20I at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur. The total is one of their bigger T20I scores in recent memory.
How did Shafali Verma perform in the match?
Shafali Verma scored a quickfire 69 off 37 balls, marking her second consecutive half-century in the series. She shared a 54-run opening stand with Anushka Sharma and had India well placed at 91/2 at the halfway stage.
Who was Zimbabwe's best bowler in the match?
Beloved Biza was Zimbabwe's top wicket-taker, picking up 3 wickets. However, she was expensive, conceding 50 runs in her 4 overs.
Have India Women ever clean-swept Zimbabwe in a T20I series?
India had not achieved a clean sweep against Zimbabwe Women in a T20I series heading into this match. Having already won the first two games, India are targeting their first-ever such result in the 3rd T20I in Raipur.
