Shreyas Iyer wins first as India captain in 1st T20I vs Zimbabwe

India secured a seven-wicket victory against Zimbabwe in the first T20I match. Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became the youngest player to score a T20I half-century. Mayank Yadav impressed on his comeback with early wickets for India. Zimbabwe posted 125 runs after a fighting partnership from their batsmen. This win marked Shreyas Iyer's first as captain, ending a winless streak.

India secured a seven-wicket victory against Zimbabwe in the first T20I match. Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became the youngest player to score a T20I half-century. Mayank Yadav impressed on his comeback with early wickets for India. Zimbabwe posted 125 runs after a fighting partnership from their batsmen. This win marked Shreyas Iyer's first as captain, ending a winless streak.

Shreyas Iyer finally tasted victory as India's T20I captain after a difficult start to his leadership stint, guiding the Men in Blue to a seven-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the first T20I at Harare on Thursday.After beginning his captaincy tenure with six consecutive defeats and one abandoned match, Iyer's wait for a maiden win finally came to an end. The victory was powered by 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who smashed a record-breaking half-century to help India chase down 126 with 41 balls to spare.Cruising towards the target Ishan Kishan and Captain Shreyas Iyer stitch together a solid partnership as the finish line approaches Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/NKa0znQQ3H#TeamIndia | #ZIMvIND pic.twitter.com/qZE5vi28aj— BCCI (@BCCI) July 23, 2026 India produced a disciplined bowling performance after opting to field first. Young pacers Mayank Yadav (2/18) and Prince Yadav (2/19) struck at regular intervals to leave Zimbabwe struggling.Ravi Bishnoi and Shivam Dube chipped in with a wicket each, while the fielders backed the bowlers with some sharp catches and a crucial run out. Wessly Madhevere top-scored with 39, Ryan Burl made 26 and Tadiwanashe Marumani remained unbeaten on 27 as Zimbabwe finished with 125/7 in 20 overs.The chase began with an early setback as Abhishek Sharma fell for just one. However, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continued his remarkable rise with a breathtaking 50 off just 19 balls, hitting four fours and four sixes at a strike rate of over 263.His explosive innings made him the youngest player to score a T20I half-century. Ishan Kishan added a fluent 35, while captain Shreyas Iyer remained unbeaten on 28 alongside Tilak Varma to complete the chase at 126/3 in just 13.1 overs.The win will come as a huge relief for Iyer, whose captaincy had come under scrutiny after a string of disappointing results since taking charge of India's T20I side.Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Becomes Youngest Player To Score T20I Fifty; Achieves Feat During ZIM Vs IND 1st T20IAfter six successive defeats and one rain-abandoned match, the Harare victory marks his first success as captain at the international level. It also gives India a positive start to the Zimbabwe series while providing Iyer's young side with much-needed confidence heading into the remaining matches.