Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Jintimani Kalita took the field for India on Friday, October 23. The 22-year-old seam-bowling allrounder earned her first Women's ODI cap against Zimbabwe at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara. She is only the second cricketer from Assam to play at the international level, following wicketkeeper-batter Uma Chetry.
The BCCI selected Kalita to replace Renuka Singh Thakur, who needed to manage her bowling workload for the 50-over format. Kalita secured her spot after consistent displays in India A cricket. This match signals the start of the new ICC Women's Championship cycle, which continues until the 2029 ODI World Cup.
India remains active on the pitch. This is their first ODI since February 2026 and their second series since winning a maiden World Cup title last year. Smriti Mandhana captains the side following a clean 3-0 sweep of Zimbabwe in the preceding T20I series held between October 16 and 28.
This fixture serves as a milestone for the visitors. It is Zimbabwe's first women's ODI against India. Stand-in captain Nomvelo Sibanda led the team while regular skipper Josephine Nkomo sat out with a niggle. Sibanda won the toss and elected to bat on the red-soil surface at the Kotambi Stadium, noting that it "differs from the black-soil surface used for Women's Premier League matches earlier this year."
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