India captain Smriti Mandhana has called on her side to replicate their T20I dominance in the upcoming ODI series against Zimbabwe, after the hosts sealed a commanding 3-0 sweep with a 92-run victory in the third and final T20I in Raipur on Tuesday, 20 October. India posted 216/7 and then restricted Zimbabwe to 124/7 to complete a clean series sweep ahead of the ODI leg in Vadodara.

A Clinical Series Finish

Harmanpreet Kaur was the standout performer with the bat, blazing an unbeaten 91 off 41 balls — reaching her half-century off just 25 deliveries before taking the game away in the latter stages. Shafali Verma chipped in with a brisk 61, while Anushka Sharma contributed 28 at the top of the order to set the platform. With the ball, Nandani Sharma led the attack with figures of 3/18 as Zimbabwe were held well short of the target.

Mandhana on Batting Brilliance and Middle-Order Growth

'Batting was very brilliant. Anushka to start with. Shafali and then Harman, everyone played their part. The bowlers did execute their plans. Maybe yes, some things we can work on. We will take it back and work on it,' Mandhana said after the match.

The captain was particularly pleased with the middle order getting meaningful time at the crease, having flagged that unit's lack of match time as a concern after the first T20I. India's decision to bat first in the decider was a deliberate tactical move to address that gap — and it paid off handsomely.

'Middle order, in the first match, we couldn't get going. Top order as well. It's always good to have game time and have some runs behind you,' she added.

Champions Trophy Planning Already Underway

With the ODI series in Vadodara serving as an opportunity to fine-tune combinations ahead of a larger target, Mandhana revealed that dew is a key variable the management is monitoring. She also highlighted the importance of bowling depth, specifically calling out contributions from Niki and Shafali with the ball.

'It is looking good for sure. We are looking at how the dew is playing a part. It will play a big part as we approach the Champions Trophy. We are looking at what kind of combination we need, and it's good to have options. I'm happy and pleased with how Niki and Shafali chipped in with overs,' Mandhana said.

What to Watch in the ODI Series

The ODI matches in Vadodara will offer fresh context — a 50-over format, different conditions, and potentially heavier dew. India will look to stress-test their batting depth further and settle on a bowling combination before the Champions Trophy. This series has already shown that the top order is firing in tandem; the real test will be whether the middle order can sustain the momentum across longer innings.

Notably, a 3-0 T20I sweep against any opposition builds confidence, but the management appears clear-eyed that the work is not finished — the captain's reference to 'things we can work on' suggests the coaching staff are using this series as a diagnostic tool, not just a scoreboard exercise.