2 min readUpdated: Jul 23, 2026 08:33 PM IST
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed 50 in 19 balls as India eased to a seven wicket win against Zimbabwe in the first T20I in Harare with 40 balls to spare. Shreyas Iyer has thus finally recorded his first win as India’s T20I captain, having lost six out of his first seven games in the tours of Ireland and England.
India’s new-look pace lineup led the way with Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav returning figures of 2/18 and 2/19 respectively as Zimbabwe were restricted to a paltry score of 125/7 in 20 overs. Sooryavanshi then launched a trademark assault on the Zimbabwean bowlers, which pretty much sealed the deal for India. He fell to Richard Ngarava in the seventh over, by which time India had already raced to 68 runs.
Zimbabwe’s innings never got going. They scored just 26 runs and lost three wickets in the powerplay. Mayank struck with the very first ball of the match, getting Brian Bennett caught behind with a length ball that squared up the opener. Wessly Madhevere (39 runs from 34 balls) was the only Zimbabwe batsman to post a score of substance. Batter Ben Curran (10) and medium pacer Newman Nyamhuri (0-30) made their T20 debuts for the home side, with seamer Ashok Sharma (0-29) also appearing for the first time in international cricket for India.
The 15-year-old Sooryavanshi, who had made his debut in India’s previous series in England and was then dropped after three rather ordinary outings, became the youngest to score a half century in international cricket.
He hit four fours and as many sixes before being caught at deep third man off a top edge from the bowling of Richard Ngarava (1-30).
To be updated…
