The Zimbabwe Women’s tour of India 2026 is set to begin on October 16, with India Women taking on Zimbabwe Women in the first T20 International (T20I) at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur. The tour, scheduled from October 16 to October 28, will feature three T20Is and three One Day Internationals (ODIs). The opening match promises to be an interesting contest as India Women prepare to play under their new captain, Smriti Mandhana. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Women will look to carry forward the momentum from their historic victory and put up a strong fight against the Indian side.
One of the biggest talking points ahead of the series is the change in India Women’s captaincy. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on October 6 that Smriti Mandhana had been appointed as the new captain of the Indian women’s cricket team after Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down from the role earlier that day. Shafali Verma has been named vice-captain and will support Mandhana in the new leadership group. Former captain Harmanpreet Kaur is also part of the squad, bringing her experience to the team. However, Jemimah Rodrigues will miss the series as she continues to recover from a hamstring injury. Zimbabwe Women will enter the series hoping to build on their historic victory and challenge India on their home ground. Players such as Nyasha Gwanzura, Michelle Mavunga and Francisca Chipare will be important to Zimbabwe’s plans. The team will look to combine disciplined bowling with steady batting to put pressure on the Indian side.
Pitch Report: The Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur is expected to offer a balanced surface, providing opportunities for both batters and bowlers. Technically sound batters who spend time at the crease could score valuable runs, while bowlers who maintain consistent line and length may find success. Spinners and spin-bowling all-rounders could also play an important role as the match progresses. Overall, the pitch is expected to provide a fair contest between bat and ball. The final conditions will depend on the surface prepared for the match and the weather on the day.
India Women squad: Smriti Mandhana (C), Shafali Verma (VC), Richa Ghosh , G. Kamalini , Niki Prasad, Harmanpreet Kaur, Anushka Sharma, Deepti Sharma, Prema Rawat, Sree Charani, Nandni Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy, Jintimani Kalita, Minnu Mani
Zimbabwe Women squad: Josephine Nkomo (C), Chiedza Dhururu , Modester Mupachikwa , Michelle Mavunga, Kudzai Chigora, Nyasha Gwanzura, Sharne Mayers, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Tendai Makusha, Beloved Biza, Francisca Chipare, Kelis Ndhlovu, Olinder Chare, Nomvelo Sibanda, Loryn Phiri