‘He is fearless’: Shreyas Iyer hails Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after record-breaking blitz against Zimbabwe

Captain Shreyas Iyer and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Image credit: BCCI) NEW DELHI: India captain Shreyas Iyer reserved special praise for teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after the 15-year-old produced a breathtaking match-winning knock to help India to a seven-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the opening T20I in Harare on Thursday.Sooryavanshi smashed 50 off just 19 balls to get his maiden international half-century off just 18 deliveries as India were bundled out for 126 in just 13.2 overs. The left-hander’s explosive innings also made him the youngest player in men’s international cricket to reach a fifty, breaking the record previously held by Nepal’s Kushal Malla. After the emphatic victory, Iyer was full of admiration for the teenager’s fearless attitude.“He’s fearless, the way he approaches an innings is amazing. He’s got huge confidence when he steps on the field,” Iyer said after registering his first win as India’s T20I captain.

A perfect reaction after a quiet tour of England

Sooryavanshi’s international career got off to a quiet start earlier this month during India’s tour of England, where he scored 14, 13 and 15 in the final T20I as India lost the series.However, a return to Harare Sports Club, where he smashed 175 off just 80 balls in the Under-19 World Cup final earlier this year, proved to be the ideal stage for the youngster to make his mark.READ ALSO: Sooryavanshi’s Emotional ‘A’ Celebration Steals Hearts After Historic World Record Fifty – WatchAfter taking four deliveries to settle, Sooryavanshi launched a stunning counter-attack. He smashed four boundaries and four towering sixes, dismantling Zimbabwe’s bowling attack with a fearless display of thrust.His innings effectively ended the match in the overs before Richard Ngarava eventually dismissed him one ball after reaching his half-century.Ishan Kishan (35) and captain Iyer (28 not out) then completed the chase with ease.

Iyer celebrates first win as India captain

The win also marked a major personal milestone for Iyer, who finally tasted success after enduring a tough start to his tenure as India’s T20I captain.Having lost all seven of his previous matches on the tour of Ireland and England, the 31-year-old celebrated his first win as captain in style.Iyer praised both his bowlers and batsmen for executing the team’s plans perfectly.“Outstanding. They were amazing in their execution. I couldn’t be happier to get my first win,” he said.The skipper also explained his decision to bowl first after winning the toss.“I was expecting a bounce and there was a fair amount of bounce. Exceptional start from Mayank. He didn’t give them space,” he said.Mayank Yadav set the tone by dismissing Brian Bennett with the very first ball of the match before finishing with two wickets, while Prince Yadav also claimed two scalps as Zimbabwe were restricted to 125 for seven. India then eased the chase mainly thanks to Sooryavanshi’s stunning attack.