Harmanpreet, Deepti on fire as India seals emphatic series win

Picture this. Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma scored centuries to power India to a big win. Now ask yourself: which of the two blazed her way to triple figures? If your gut said Harmanpreet, it failed you.

On a sweltering Sunday at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi, the second ODI against Zimbabwe turned the script on its head. A restrained Harmanpreet played the artisan while Deepti played destroyer, with their record-breaking 153-run fifth-wicket stand laying the foundation of India’s 121-run win and unassailable 2-0 lead.

India was stuttering at 19 for two in the third over — Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma both undone by Nomvelo Sibanda’s short-ball ploy — when Harmanpreet joined Pratika Rawal.

Pratika, fresh from a hundred in the first ODI, and Harmanpreet added 124 off 118 balls. The former looked set for another ton when Nyasha Gwanzura deceived her with a change of pace. Tejal Hasabnis followed soon after.

But Harmanpreet remained unfazed, aided by a fearless Deepti who arrived as if stepping in for a net session.

As many as 32 of the pair’s first 47 runs came through Deepti’s audacious shots on the leg-side while Harmanpreet whipped out a catalogue of puritanical drives and cuts on the off-side.

When the century came, celebrations oddly didn’t. Neither did tears, like the 91 she scored in the third T20I had drawn out of her. Deepti, too, eventually braved a slowdown to reach her second ODI century in the final over — nine years after her first — helping India set an intimidating 329-run target.

Modester Mupachikwa’s sprightly start, despite losing Loryn Phiri early, gave Zimbabwe hope.

With support from Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, the Lady Chevrons got to 100 in just 19 overs, helped by India’s worrying inability to take wickets, especially the seamers. Sayali Satghare finally succeeded in breaching Mugeri-Tiripano’s defence.

Left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma’s guile and persistence then took centrestage. She removed Mupachikwa for her maiden ODI wicket before dismissing Beloved Biza, Michelle Mavunga and skipper Josephine Nkomo in a cluster.

Deepti ran through the tail before Jintimani Kalita opened her account in the format.

While Zimbabwe ticked one box by crossing 200, its bid to last the full 50 overs was yet to be achieved.

The scores: India 328/6 in 50 overs (Pratika Rawal 61, Harmanpreet Kaur 126, Deepti Sharma 106 n.o.) bt Zimbabwe 207 in 48.5 overs (Modester Mupachikwa 49, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano 46, Beloved Biza 34, Deepti 3/32, Vaishnavi Sharma 4/39).

Toss: India; PoM: Harmanpreet.

Third ODI:October 28, 2 p.m.