Niki Prasad’s maiden international bowling spell did more than help India seal the T20I series against Zimbabwe; it offered a glimpse of a rare all-round temperament that India’s new era under Smriti Mandhana can build around. The 20-year-old off-spinning all-rounder, who had already shown her batting nerve on debut, struck twice in two balls to become the first Indian to take a wicket on the first ball of her international career, before watching Shafali Verma and Mandhana power India to a nine-wicket win and a 2-0 series lead in Raipur.
Zimbabwe skipper Josephine Nkomo won the toss and opted to bat first in the second T20I on 18th October, but her side could never fully escape the pressure created by India’s disciplined attack. After slipping to 30/3 in the ninth over, Zimbabwe found brief resistance through Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano and Nkomo, whose 45-run fourth-wicket stand lifted them beyond 70. Mugeri-Tiripano made 34 off 32 balls, while Nkomo finished unbeaten on 27 off 35.
Then came Prasad’s moment. Introduced in the 15th over, she removed Mugeri-Tiripano with her first delivery and had Nyasha Gwanzura lbw for a first-ball duck on the 2nd ball of her spell. Her figures of 2 for 7 from two overs were remarkable not only for their economy, but for the instant clarity of her execution. “Our plans were very clear to attack the stumps as much as possible. Our bowlers were sharp in executing plans, and our batters displayed top-class batting,” Prasad said after the match.
Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud and Nandani Sharma chipped in with a wicket apiece, while Arundhati Reddy kept things tight, as Zimbabwe were restricted to 102/8. A late 19-run stand between Modester Mupachikwa and Nkomo took the visitors close to three figures, but India had already seized control of the contest.
India’s reply was ruthless. Shafali Verma and Mandhana added 96 for the first wicket, transforming a modest chase into a statement of intent. Shafali smashed 55 off just 25 balls, with six boundaries and four sixes at a strike rate of 220, before Beloved Biza removed her in the eighth over. Mandhana remained unbeaten on 47 off 25 deliveries, guiding India to 104/1 in 8.5 overs and sealing the series with nine wickets in hand.
For Prasad, the evening was another step in a rapid rise. On her T20I debut in the series opener on 16th October, she had walked in at No. 5 with India chasing 115 and calmly made an unbeaten 39 off 35 balls, hitting six boundaries. Her 82-run fifth-wicket partnership with Deepti Sharma, who made 49 off 37, proved decisive in India’s four-wicket win.
Her journey to this stage has been built on leadership and consistency. Prasad led India to their 2nd ICC Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup title in Malaysia, after Shafali Verma’s unit was crowned the inaugural champions in South Africa in 2023. That pedigree earned her a Delhi Capitals contract in the third edition of the WPL, where she has scored 153 runs at an average of 30.60 and a strike rate of 119.53 in seven innings.
Her India A performances made the senior call-up almost inevitable. Against Australia A, she scored 108 runs at 54 in the one-day series while also taking nine wickets at 17.22, including a four-wicket haul. In the unofficial Test, she made 95 runs, including a gritty 91, and claimed seven wickets at 11, featuring a five-wicket haul. Those numbers, combined with her calm presence, earned her a maiden T20I call-up on 6th October, the same day Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down as India captain and Smriti Mandhana was appointed across formats.
Niki Prasad’s reflections after the second T20I carried the maturity of someone already comfortable in the environment. “It is my first time with the Indian team and the team environment has been great throughout. Smriti Mandhana is carrying that same positive environment forward,” she said. On the openers’ approach, she added, “Both batters play an aggressive and attacking brand of cricket naturally.”
Her personal ambition remains refreshingly simple. “My aim and expectations from myself would be to keep putting in better performances for India,” Prasad said. She also spoke about handling lean phases through learning rather than panic: “I look at the learnings from games that did not go well and focus on applying them better next time.”
With India set to face Zimbabwe in the third T20I on 20th October, aiming for a whitewash, Prasad’s first two international appearances have already outlined her value: a batter for pressure situations, a bowler capable of immediate impact, and a young leader whose composure fits seamlessly into Mandhana’s positive new-look side.
I am Yash Tailor, and I believe work should be driven by passion. Therefore, after completing my Engineering, I chose to work in the Cricket industry, my passion. My goal is to reach a stage where I truly enjoy what I do and give my best to every task with energy and purpose.