24 July,2026 12:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Shreyas Iyer (Pic: File)
India's T20I captain Shreyas Iyer shared his satisfaction after registering his first win as skipper, as the 'Men in Blue' completed a comfortable seven-wicket victory against Zimbabwe in the opening T20I at the Harare Sports Club.
The newly appointed captain had faced a tough start to his tenure, following a 2-0 series loss to Ireland and a 4-0 defeat in England, where one match was called off due to rain.
Chasing a target of 126, India dominated from the off with an explosive 18-ball debut half-century from 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to seal the chase in 13.2 overs. Sooryavanshi made 50 off 18 deliveries before being dismissed, while captain Shreyas Iyer (28') and Tilak Varma finished the job for India.
Earlier in the day, India's bowling unit limited Zimbabwe to 125/7 after Iyer chose to field first. Fast bowler Mayank Yadav delivered standout figures of 2/18, supported by Prince Yadav's 2/19, as India maintained tight control throughout the innings.
Reflecting on the result, Iyer praised the team's execution and described claiming his first win as captain as a special milestone. He also hailed Mayank Yadav's opening spell and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's aggressive approach at the top of the order.
"Exceptional. They were tremendous in their execution. Can't be happier to get my first win. I was anticipating the bounce, and there was a decent amount of bounce. Exceptional start given by Mayank. Didn't give them room. Vaibhav came out and gave us an exceptional start with the bat. They analysed the pitch and started building partnerships, and that's when I wanted to rotate my bowlers as well. He is fearless; the way he approaches the innings is amazing. He possesses immense confidence when he steps onto the field," Iyer said.
Mayank Yadav, who picked up 2/18 across his four-over spell by removing key batters Brian Bennett and Dion Myers, earned the Man of the Match award. Speaking about his performance, the speedster said he was happy to contribute to the team's win.
"It always feels great when you contribute in a win. So it was a very special moment for me. The wicket was very good. After playing in India, I was enjoying bowling here. It's my first time here in Zimbabwe. The bounce I got and the seam movement was great help for me. We got a good start from the very first ball and the way they [Prince and Ashok] were squeezing from their end was really good," he said.
(With inputs from ANI)
