Vadodara, 25 October 2026: Deepti Sharma said she always believed another one-day international century would come, after her unbeaten 106 against Zimbabwe ended a wait of nine years and five months.
The 29-year-old all-rounder made 106 not out off 86 balls, with 15 fours, as India beat Zimbabwe by 121 runs at Kotambi Stadium on Sunday to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, which is part of the ICC Women’s Championship.
It was the second ODI hundred of her career and her first in India. The first was her 188 against Ireland at Potchefstroom in May 2017, an innings that included 27 fours and a 320-run opening stand with Punam Raut. The gap between the two centuries was 3,450 days.
‘I believed in my hard work’
“I tried a lot, but it took a lot of time to reach. But I believed in my hard work that I would reach another century sooner or later,” Deepti said after the match.
She said the team’s situation, rather than the milestone, was what she focused on when she walked in. “I think more than 100, what was in my mind was how we could build a partnership in that situation. That was the mindset. And obviously, 100 is special. It feels good to reach it after such a long time.”
The hundred came on her home association’s ground. “I am grateful that I was able to achieve that on the ground of Baroda,” she said.
Record stand with Harmanpreet
India were 19 for 2 early on and 149 for 4 when Deepti joined former captain Harmanpreet Kaur. Pratika Rawal had made 61 to help repair the start.
Harmanpreet, dropped three times, scored 126 off 121 balls with 15 fours. She and Deepti added 153 for the fifth wicket, India’s highest partnership for the fifth wicket or lower in women’s ODIs. Deepti was the quicker scorer of the two and brought up her hundred with a four to square leg in the final over as India finished on 328 for 6.
“After losing two wickets, Pratika and I had a very good partnership and then Deepti did the magic on the pitch,” Harmanpreet said at the innings break.
Vaishnavi Sharma takes four
Zimbabwe were bowled out for 207 in 48.5 overs. Modester Mupachikwa top-scored with 49 and Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano made 46. Left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma, playing only her second ODI, took 4 for 39, her first four-wicket haul in international cricket. Nomvelo Sibanda was Zimbabwe’s best bowler with 2 for 38.
Deepti praises Zimbabwe’s fight
Deepti, India’s vice-captain, said the visitors had made India work in both matches. India won the first ODI, also in Vadodara, by nine wickets on 23 October.
“They have good batters in their team as well. We cannot say that they are a weak team. They gave us a fight,” she said. “We knew that we could dismiss them given our bowling unit. That was the mindset. And I think all the bowlers did a good job. In fact, the whole team gave a good performance.”
What’s next
The third and final ODI is at the same venue on 28 October. India arrived in the ODI series after winning the T20I series against Zimbabwe 3-0.
