Guwahati: Assam’s Jintimani Kalita, a 22-year-old seam-bowling allrounder, made her Women’s ODI debut for India on Friday, October 23, in the opening match of the three-game series against Zimbabwe at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara.
Kalita became the second cricketer from Assam to represent India at the international level, after wicketkeeper-batter Uma Chetry.
She was brought into the squad as a replacement for Renuka Singh Thakur, who needed to build up her bowling workload for the 50-over format, the BCCI said. Kalita’s performances in India A cricket preceded her selection for the national side.
The match marked India’s first ODI since February 2026 and their opening fixture in the new ICC Women’s Championship cycle, which runs until the 2029 ODI World Cup. It was also only India’s second series since winning their maiden World Cup title last year.
Under captain Smriti Mandhana, India entered the ODI series after sweeping Zimbabwe 3-0 in the T20I leg of the tour, part of the teams’ first bilateral white-ball series from October 16 to 28.
The match marked Zimbabwe’s first women’s ODI against India. Stand-in captain Nomvelo Sibanda led the side in the absence of Josephine Nkomo, who was ruled out with a niggle.
Sibanda won the toss and opted to bat on the red-soil pitch at Vadodara’s Kotambi Stadium, which differs from the black-soil surface used for Women’s Premier League matches earlier this year.