India, Oct. 23 -- Pratika Rawal marked her return to the top of the order with an unbeaten century after left-arm spinner Shree Charani claimed four wickets as India Women opened their three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe with a commanding nine-wicket victory in Vadodara on Friday.

Chasing 198, India raced to 200/1 in just 27.1 overs, winning with 137 balls to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the series and give Smriti Mandhana a winning start to her tenure as full-time ODI captain.

Rawal struck 100 not out off 96 deliveries, including 15 fours, to register her third ODI century. Shafali Verma, pushed down to No. 3 from her customary opening position, smashed an unbeaten 64 off just 33 balls as the pair stitched together an unbroken 106-r...