India has returned to the top position in the ICC Men’s T20I Team rankings following an unassailable 2-0 lead in their series against Zimbabwe in Harare. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup champions regained the top spot, which had been held by England after their 4-0 T20I series win at home.
The Indian batters played a significant role in the second T20I against Zimbabwe, building on a dominant victory in the first match. The initial win was largely attributed to the bowlers and a notable innings by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
India’s Batting Performances
In the second T20I, after losing two early wickets, Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer formed a 66-run partnership. Following this, Tilak Varma contributed a strong knock, scoring 60 off 29 balls. Kishan was the highest scorer in that game, making 81 off 44 balls. Speaking after the match, Kishan noted the importance of playing naturally at number three, even when two wickets had fallen.
He also highlighted the need to assess the pitch conditions, considering whether to aim for totals like 250 or 230, or if 170-180 runs would be more appropriate. Kishan mentioned that he and Shreyas Iyer focused on building a partnership and extending the innings, a plan they felt was well-executed. Zimbabwe, chasing a target of 220, lost five wickets within the first nine overs and were eventually bowled out for 129, securing India‘s series lead.
Sooryavanshi’s Record-Breaking Feat
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continued to make history, becoming the first player in men’s international cricket to record multiple scores of 50 or more before turning 16. The 15-year-old left-handed opener achieved this milestone during the third and final T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare on Sunday. He scored 81 off 48 balls, helping India reach 192/5 after they chose to bat first.
Before Sooryavanshi, only Kushal Malla of Nepal had registered a 50-plus score in men’s internationals before turning 16. Sooryavanshi‘s achievement now places him uniquely with two such scores. On a pitch that provided assistance to bowlers, Sooryavanshi displayed a varied batting approach. He started cautiously, scoring 11 runs from his first 10 balls and 26 from his first 20 deliveries before reaching his second T20I fifty in 31 balls.
His innings featured some characteristic strokeplay, including driving Brad Evans for a boundary off a yorker and hitting a 102-metre six off off-spinner Sikandar Raza. He also executed a reverse-sweep against Wesley Madhevere for a boundary. While Sooryavanshi settled into his innings, his opening partner, Abhishek Sharma, continued a period of low scores. Abhishek was dismissed for two, edging Blessing Muzarabani to wicketkeeper Tadi Marumani. His recent form includes scores of 10, 16, 3, 1, 8, and 2 in his last six innings, dating back to the third T20I against England in Nottingham last month.
Sooryavanshi then established a 75-run partnership for the second wicket with Ishan Kishan, who scored 29. He later shared a 50-run partnership with captain Shreyas Iyer, who contributed 27. Sooryavanshi was on track for a century before Wesley Madhevere dismissed him, with Brad Evans completing the catch at long-off to end his innings at 81. After the departures of Sooryavanshi and Shreyas, India‘s scoring rate slowed, with the middle order adding only 47 runs in the final five overs. Rinku Singh‘s 25 off 14 balls helped India approach the 200-run mark, finishing with 192/5, a total considered competitive on a bowler-friendly surface. The two teams are scheduled to play again on July 26, Sunday.
Source: icc-cricket.com
