Indian favorites to win T20I series vs. Zimbabwe? Sikandar Raza doesn’t think so

Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza has dismissed suggestions that India will enter the upcoming T20I series as overwhelming favourites, insisting that the three-match contest will be much more even than many expect. The series kicks off at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday, with the remaining matches scheduled for July 25 and 26 at the same venue.

India come to Zimbabwe looking to bounce back from a disappointing white-ball tour of Europe. Led by new T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, the visitors suffered a 2-0 series defeat to Ireland in Belfast. before suffering a 4–0 defeat against England in a five-game series. India also lost the ODI leg 2-1 under Shubman Gill, leaving the side looking for answers ahead of the next overseas assignment.

Despite India’s pedigree in the shortest format, Raza believes the contest is too close to call. The veteran all-rounder, who has represented Zimbabwe in 136 T20Is, stressed that recent performances by his side justified their confidence.

“Both countries will have an equal chance in this series. But one thing I am very sure of is that because Zimbabwe is playing very consistent and very entertaining cricket, I can say for sure that this series will be very entertaining,” Raza told Star Sports.

ZIMBABWE’S GIANT KILLING RUN

Zimbabwe’s optimism is rooted in remarkable results over the past year. In one of the biggest upsets of the Men’s Under-20 World Cup earlier this year, the African side stunned Australia by 23 runs in Colombo, a result that ultimately contributed to the former champions’ shock exit from the group stage. Zimbabwe also recorded wins over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in 2026, underscoring their rise in the shortest format.

Raza acknowledged that India was going through a transition phase, but pointed out that Zimbabwe too was rebuilding and integrating younger players into the line-up.

“Yes, India is going through a transition and to some extent you will see Zimbabwe also going through a bit of a transition. I don’t see it as a one-sided series,” he said.

Still, India will take confidence from their last tour of Zimbabwe in 2024, where they recovered from an opening defeat to win the five-match T20I series 4-1 under Shubman Gill.

With both teams eager to prove a point, Raza expects an entertaining contest rather than a foregone conclusion.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

Jul 21, 2026 1:52 PM IST