Vaishnavi Sharma continued her rise in international cricket with a match-winning bowling performance in the second India Women vs Zimbabwe Women ODI in Vadodara on Sunday.
The left-arm spinner returned figures of 4/39 in 10 overs as India defeated Zimbabwe by 121 runs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Defending a target of 329, India bowled Zimbabwe out for 207 in 48.5 overs. Vaishnavi was among the leading contributors with the ball, accounting for four of the visitors’ batters and restricting their middle order during the chase.
had made a promising start through Modester Mupachikwa and Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, who added 69 runs for the third wicket after the early dismissal of Loryn Phiri. Mupachikwa scored 49 off 70 deliveries, while Mugeri-Tiripano contributed 46 from 57 balls.
provided with a crucial breakthrough by dismissing Mupachikwa, who was caught by substitute fielder Harleen Deol. She then removed Beloved Biza, who scored 34, before dismissing Zimbabwe captain Josephine Nkomo for 20.
The 20-year-old completed her four-wicket haul by bowling Michelle Mavunga for three runs. Her spell helped India maintain control of the contest as Zimbabwe struggled to keep up with the required scoring rate.
The performance added another international milestone to the career of a spinner who first attracted widespread attention during the 2025 ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup.
Born on 18 December, 2005, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, Vaishnavi emerged as one of India’s standout performers during the 2025 ICC Under-19 in Malaysia.
She finished the tournament as the leading wicket-taker, claiming 17 wickets in six matches at an average of 4.35. Her tally was instrumental in India’s successful title defence, with the left-arm spinner delivering consistent performances throughout the competition.
One of her most memorable displays came against the hosts, Malaysia, in the group stage. Playing her first match of the tournament, Vaishnavi returned figures of 5/5 in four overs, including a maiden, as India dismissed Malaysia for just 31 runs.
She also became the first Indian bowler to take a hat-trick in the history of the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup. Her five-wicket haul against Malaysia established her as one of the tournament’s most successful bowlers.
Vaishnavi’s performances earned her a maiden call-up to the senior Indian women’s team for the five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka in December 2025.
She made her international debut in the opening T20I against Sri Lanka in Visakhapatnam on 21 December, 2025. She subsequently featured in all five matches of the series, finishing with five wickets.
The four-wicket haul against Zimbabwe represents another important contribution in her growing international career. Having established herself as a leading performer at the Under-19 level, Vaishnavi is now adding to her experience in India’s senior setup.
Vaishnavi began her domestic cricket with the Madhya Pradesh Under-16 team, before transitioning to the Madhya Pradesh Under-19 team. Her breakthrough season, though, came with the senior domestic team in 2024-25.
Representing Madhya Pradesh in the senior Women’s T20 Trophy, Vaishnavi took 21 wickets from nine matches and ended up as the leading wicket-taker in the tournament. Madhya Pradesh reached the final, but lost to Maharashtra.
She maintained her form in the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal T20 Trophy, wherein she played for Central Zone. She picked up 12 wickets from five matches, ending as the tournament’s second-highest wicket-taker.
She has also played three Women’s Premier League (WPL) matches for Mumbai Indians (MI), taking one wicket at an economy rate of seven.
