Raipur, October 17 (Daily Kiran) : The Indian women’s cricket team celebrated a successful start to their T20 series against Zimbabwe, securing a 4-wicket victory in Raipur on October 17. Making her debut, Nikki Prasad played a pivotal role in the team’s triumph, drawing praise from seasoned all-rounder Deepti Sharma.

In the post-match press conference, Deepti commended Nikki’s performance, stating, “Nikki played exceptionally well. Honestly, it didn’t feel like she was debuting. It seemed as though she had played many matches for the country before. The confidence of a young player is remarkable — stepping up to build partnerships and winning matches under pressure. I’m sure she will carry this confidence forward.”

Zimbabwe set a target of 115 runs for India, who found themselves in a precarious position at 19 runs with four wickets down. Nikki Prasad, alongside Deepti Sharma, took charge and forged a crucial sixth-wicket partnership, amassing 82 runs off 63 balls to steer the team to victory.

Deepti scored 49 runs from 37 balls, hitting eight boundaries before being dismissed. Nikki remained unbeaten, contributing 39 runs from 35 balls, including six fours, to secure the win for India. The team finished at 116 runs for the loss of six wickets in just 15.4 overs.

Nikki’s display of confidence in her first match, helping the team recover from a tough situation, bodes well for her future and for Indian women’s cricket as a whole.

Deepti Sharma was named Player of the Match, not only for her batting but also for her impressive bowling performance. Although she did not take any wickets, she played a crucial role in restricting Zimbabwe to 114 runs in her four overs, conceding just 22 runs.

With this victory, India takes a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, with the next T20 scheduled to take place in Raipur on Sunday.