IND vs ZIM 2nd T20I Preview: Monkeys off the back, India look to win series in Harare

Matches against Zimbabwe rarely carry such weight, but Thursday’s opener in Harare was crucial for a transitioning Indian side. Fresh off tough tours of Ireland and England, captain Shreyas Iyer finally got a result he could rest assured of, backed by a fiery spell from his pacers in useful conditions.

As the unrelenting cricket calendar rapidly progresses, India return to the Harare Sports Club for the second T20I on Saturday 25 July. Iyer’s men will be looking to build on that momentum, clean up minor mistakes and end the three-match series with a game to stay.

INDIAN pace attack in limelight

While the chase of 126 turned out to be quite a routine affair, the real story of the first game was how India’s young pacers coped with the conditions in Harare. After spending almost two years on the sidelines with injuries, breakaway fast bowler Mayank Yadav looked right at home. He kept things tight, picking up 2/18 and setting the tone early by dismissing Brian Bennett with his very first delivery.

ZIM vs IND 1st T20I: SCORECARD | MAIN DATA

Mayank was not alone. Prince Yadav also picked up a couple of wickets, while debutant Ashok Sharma hit good speeds, though he did not get between the wickets. Zimbabwe were put on the back foot early and slumped to 26/3 during the over. They eventually scraped together for 125/7, but on a decent surface it was never going to be enough to trouble India.

STATEMENT OF VAIBHAVA SOORYAVANSHI KLETPAT

The chase was largely about young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi showing what he could do. After a rough spell in England where teams repeatedly targeted him with short balls, the 15-year-old smashed a 19-ball fifty to become the youngest player to score a T20I half-century.

Along with Ishan Kishan’s 35 and Shreyas Iyer’s composed unbeaten 28, India knocked down the target with over six overs to spare.

The only quiet spot in the top order was Abhishek Sharma who fell early. It was a contrast in fortune for the left-hander, who hit his first T20I hundred at Harare Sports Club in 2024. This time he will fancy a few runs.

CAN ZIMBABWE COME BACK?

For Sikandar Raza’s team, the priority on Saturday is simply to survive the new ball. Zimbabwe have been strong at home of late but have struggled to handle the extra pace that India brought in the opening overs.

If they are to take this series to a decider on Sunday, their top three will need to show better judgment against the new ball and avoid throwing the early ones away.

With back-to-back matches this weekend, India will want to finish the job early and seal Iyer’s first series win as captain on Saturday itself.

IND vs ZIM, 2nd T20I: WHERE TO WATCH

India will take on Zimbabwe in the second T20I at the Harare Sports Club in Harare on Saturday 25 July. The match starts at 16:30 IST and will be streamed live on the FanCode app and website, with telecast available on Unite8 Sports TV channels.

IND vs ZIM, 2nd T20I: PITCH CONDITIONS

Run scoring was not easy in the first T20I. Apart from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s aggressive innings, the strike rate was hovering around 120. The conditions are likely to remain similar for the second match as well.

IND vs ZIM, 2nd T20I: PREDICTED XIS

Zimbabwe

Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Wesley Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuli, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani

India

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Prince Yadav, Ashok Sharma, Mayank Yadav

– The end

Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

Jul 25, 2026 07:36 IST