Shafali Verma Sets World Record in Huge Cricket Win
India's women cricketers stormed to a record-breaking nine-wicket win over Zimbabwe in Raipur, led by batting stars Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana.
Cricket fans across the country had a wonderful reason to celebrate on Sunday, 18 October 2026. The Indian women’s cricket team put on a spectacular display of power and teamwork at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. They roared to an incredible nine-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in their second T20 International match.
This thrilling Indian women cricket win not only sealed the three-match series 2-0 with one game left to play, but it also saw records tumble. Opening batters Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana made batting look effortless as they chased down the target in double-quick time, delighting the cheering crowd in Raipur.
What happened?
The exciting evening began when Zimbabwe won the toss and decided to bat first. However, the Indian bowling unit bowled with clever plans and tight discipline. Zimbabwe was restricted to 102 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in their 20 overs. Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano fought hard for Zimbabwe, top-scoring with 34 runs off 32 balls. She shared a 45-run stand with her captain, Josephine Nkomo, who stayed unbeaten with 27 runs off 35 deliveries.
India’s bowlers made scoring very difficult right from the start. Young Indian bowler Niki Prasad had a dream debut in international cricket, taking a wicket on her very first delivery. She finished with fantastic figures of two wickets for just seven runs in her two overs. Kranti Gaud bowled four tight overs to take 1 for 15, while Deepti Sharma conceded just 13 runs in her three overs while taking one wicket.
When it was India’s turn to bat, Shafali Verma and captain Smriti Mandhana turned the chase into a dazzling fireworks display. Chasing 103 runs, the duo put together a massive 96-run opening partnership in just 8.1 overs. Zimbabwe bowler Beloved Biza eventually claimed Verma’s wicket, but the victory was already in sight.
Vice-captain Shafali was in top form, smashing 55 runs off just 25 deliveries with six boundaries and four towering sixes at a strike rate of 220. She brought up her half-century in just 24 balls. This was her ninth 50-plus score in 2026, which broke Smriti Mandhana’s 2024 record of eight to set a brand-new world record for the most 50-plus scores in a calendar year in women’s T20Is.
Smriti Mandhana played brilliantly alongside her, staying unbeaten on 47 runs from 25 balls with six boundaries and two sixes. Mandhana sealed the match in style by launching a huge six in the ninth over. India reached 104 for 1 in only 8.5 overs, winning the match with a massive 67 balls to spare.
Their 96-run stand was also their ninth 50-plus partnership of the year. This incredible achievement made Mandhana and Verma the first batting pair in women’s T20I history to score over 1,000 partnership runs in a single calendar year. In addition, this triumph was India Women’s 17th T20I victory in 2026 across 26 matches, setting a new national record for the most T20I wins in a single year.
Why does it matter to you?
Watching players like Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana play fearlessly shows how hard work and practice can help you achieve extraordinary things. When you step onto the school ground to play cricket, football, or badminton, remembering their self-belief can inspire you to do your best.
This match is also a shining example of true teamwork. Both batters supported each other, ran quickly between the wickets, and shared the responsibility of winning. The exciting rise of women’s sports in India proves that with courage and determination, young athletes can break barriers and reach the pinnacle of world sport.
Words to know
- T20 International: a fast-paced format of cricket where each team bats for a maximum of 20 overs.
- Strike rate: a number that shows how fast a batter scores runs compared to the number of balls they face.
- Half-century: an individual score of 50 or more runs scored by a single batter in a cricket match.
- Partnership: the total number of runs scored together by two batters while batting without either getting out.
Did you know?
With this historic game in Raipur, Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana became the very first batting duo in women’s T20I history to cross 1,000 partnership runs in a single calendar year.
Think about it
How do you think strong communication and friendship help two teammates perform better together during a tough match? What sport or outdoor game would you like to practice more this week?
Quick quiz
How many runs did Shafali Verma score off just 25 balls against Zimbabwe?
- 47 runs
- 55 runs
- 102 runs
See the answer
55 runs
Sources
This story was prepared by the Kids Gazette news desk with the help of AI research and writing tools, using the sources listed above.
