Niki Prasad made her India debut in the first T20I against Zimbabwe in Raipur on Friday, marking a significant milestone in her journey from Under-19 World Cup-winning captain to the senior international stage. The young all-rounder received her India cap from Smriti Mandhana ahead of the match.
With the Indian team huddled together, Mandhana was seen speaking to Prasad before handing over the cap in a special moment for the Karnataka cricketer. She also received warm hugs from Deepti Sharma and Anushka Sharma as her teammates celebrated the occasion. Prasad is expected to bat at No.3, giving India an opportunity to test her abilities in a key position.
India vs Zimbabwe, 1st Women’s T20I: Updates | Scorecard
The debut represents another important step in Prasad’s rise through Indian cricket. She captained India to the Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup title in 2025, having also led the country to glory in the inaugural Women’s Under-19 Asia Cup in 2024. Her leadership and performances at the age-group level established her as one of the promising young talents in the Indian setup.
The right-handed batter has also gained valuable experience through two seasons with Delhi Capitals in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), sharing the dressing room with established international players and continuing to develop her game.
NIKI PRASAD’S RISE
Prasad’s recent performances for India A against Australia A further strengthened her case for a senior-team call-up. In a T20 match in New Chandigarh, she smashed 54 off just 31 balls after India had slipped into trouble, producing an attacking innings that showcased her ability to change the course of a match. She followed it up with an unbeaten 32 in the first one-day match, helping India A secure a four-wicket victory.
Her all-round contributions have been equally encouraging. Prasad claimed a five-wicket haul in the unofficial Test against Australia A and finished as the leading wicket-taker in the one-day series, collecting nine wickets across three matches at an economy rate of 6.20.
Her WPL experience has added to her exposure at the highest domestic level. Across 18 matches for Delhi Capitals, she has scored 153 runs at an average of 30.60 and a strike rate of 119.53, with a highest score of 47.
Jemimah Rodrigues usually bats at No. 3 for India but is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury. If Niki Prasad can make the most of the opportunity and score runs, she could put pressure on Jemimah, especially with the selectors set to pick the squad for India’s tour of South Africa later this year.
PLAYING XIS FOR INDIA VS ZIMBABWE 1ST WOMEN’S T20I
India Women (Playing XI): Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana(c), Anushka Sharma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Niki Prasad, Richa Ghosh(w), Deepti Sharma, Shree Charani, Arundhati Reddy, Nandani Sharma, Kranti Gaud
Zimbabwe Women (Playing XI): Kelis Ndhlovu, Beloved Biza, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Sharne Mayers, Michelle Mavunga, Nyasha Gwanzura, Francisca Chipare, Modester Mupachikwa(w), Josephine Nkomo(c), Olinder Chare, Tendai Makusha
– Ends
