India vs Zimbabwe Highlights, 1st T20I: Sooryavanshi’s blazing fifty helps IND beat ZIM by 7 wickets

When India dropped Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after just three innings in England, it raised a few uncomfortable questions. Had they rushed his inclusion, only to be even quicker to drop him before the 15-year-old could find his feet in international cricket? The decision to leave out the left-hander looked like more than a tactical call for another right-hander in the batting order. Still, this was the first time Sooryavanshi had faced the cruel side of cricket at the top level: that he can be benched.

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WICKET! Blessing Muzarabani returns to the attack and picks another wicket. He has looked different from all the Zimbabwe bowlers who have struggled against Indian batters. He removed Kishan off a delivery which seemed to have stuck, as a double-minded Kishan ended up not playing his shot, offering an easy catch to Myers.

Ishan Kishan c Dion Myers b Blessing Muzarabani 35(24)

IND: 119/3 in 12 overs

India are cruising in the chase at the moment, ever since Sooryavanshi gave India a blazing start. Ishan Kishan and Iyer hit a boundary each against Brad Evans before Raza bowls another quiet over. 30 needed off last 60.

IND: 96/2 in 10 overs

After being hit for 20 off his first over, Richard Ngarava returns to the strike. Faces Sooryavanshi again. The prodigy manages to get a couple, which brings his maiden T20I half-century in just 18 deliveries. The 15-year-old belongs at this stage, and this is how he proves it. He becomes the youngest ever to score 50 in international cricket. WICKET! Sooryavanshi falls after reaching the milestone. Ngarava gets his revenge, but the damage is already done. Skipper Shreyas Iyer joins Kishan. He is off the mark with a FOUR. Seven off the over.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi c Ben Curran b Richard Ngarava 50(19)

IND: 73/2 in 7 overs

Third straight over for Blessing Muzarabani. Kishan gets a single to start the over. FOUR! Mishit from Sooryavanshi; still it races away to the fence for a boundary. SIX! Clubbed and it sails over the wide long-on fence. Length delivery on off, he stays back and clubs it to hit down the ground. Sooryavanshi has scored 44 out of the 48 runs. This is what this boy can do, and he is showing the world a glimpse of it. FOUR! Charges down the track and slashes hard against a hard length delivery on off. He moves to 48! How can you stop this wonderkid? 50 up for India.

IND: 52/1 in 5 overs

Muzarabani continues. Sooryavanshi manages a single off the first delivery to put Abhishek on strike. Muzarabani continues his short ball ploy to cramp Abhishek. Three dots on the trot. OUT! Not an outing the World No. 1 T20I batter would have hoped for. He is gone for 8-ball 1 after slicing the back-of-the-length delivery straight to Brad Evans at third man. Ishan Kishan joins Sooryavanshi at No. 3. Just a single off this over.

Abhishek Sharma c Brad Evans b Blessing Muzarabani 1(8)

IND: 23/1 in 3 overs

Muzarabani uses his height, bowls back of the length delivery to put Abhishek in discomfort. He gets off the mark with a single off the second delivery after starting the innings with a dot. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is on strike now. Swing and a miss as Muzarabani bowls another short delivery. A single will get the 15-year-old off the mark. Just two runs off the opening over.

IND: 2/0 in 1 over

Prince Yadav to finish the innings. FOUR! Lucky boundary for Madhevere, but he will take it with both hands. Outside off edge, flies over the keeper at third man to start the over with a boundary. RUN OUT! End of Madhevere's good knock as he is well short of his crease while looking for a second run. WICKET! Brad Evans comes, Brad Evans goes! Falls for a golden duck after playing it straight to Iyer at mid-off. Newman Nyamhuri is in. He manages only a single after blocking the yorker. Prince beats Marumani on the following delivery before the batter manages a couple off the final delivery. Seven off the final over as Zimbabwe get to 125/7 in 20 overs.

Madhevere run out (Shivam Dube/Ishan Kishan) 39(34); Brad Evans c Shreyas Iyer b Prince Yadav 0(1)

ZIM: 125/7 in 20 overs

A single off the first delivery and a two take Zimbabwe past 100. SIX! Marumani joins the party! Short ball on leg, Marumani stays on the back foot and latches onto the short ball for a good-looking pull over deep mid-wicket and cow-corner region. Another 11-run over.

ZIM: 109/5 in 18 overs

Ashok Sharma to finish his spell. FOUR! Short ball, hard length outside off, Madhevere uses the pace and the length to guide it fine past Ishan Kishan. FOUR MORE! Cheeky, lovely shot from Madhevere this time. Ashok adjusts his length, bowls fuller, but Madhevere was ready on this occasion, stays back on his crease and dabs it wide past the keeper at third man for another boundary. 11 off the over.

ZIM: 89/5 in 16 overs

Ravi Bishnoi stays in the attack. WICKET! He gets his man finally. Removes set batter Ryan Burl, who was keeping Zimbabwe's fight on. Slams it straight to Tilak at long-on as the hosts are five down inside 14 overs. Tadiwanashe Marumani is the new man in. He gets off the mark with a couple. Marumani finds another two and ends the over with a FOUR!

Ryan Burl c Tilak Varma b Ravi Bishnoi 26(35)

ZIM: 72/5 in 14 overs

Ravi Bishnoi continues. Quickly finishes it off, giving just three runs from it. Zimbabwe batters have played over 40 dot deliveries, and it is hurting them badly.

Spin for the first time today as Ravi Bishnoi comes into the attack in place of Shivam Dube. It seems he picked his scalp off the first delivery he bowled, but an inside edge saves Madhevere from being trapped in front. Six runs from this over, four off the bat, a wide and one leg bye. Time for drinks break.

ZIM: 46/4 in 10 overs

Shivam Dube is into the bowling attack now. WICKET! This is turning out to be a horrendous start for Zimbabwe. Fourth gone, this time it's skipper Raza who has to walk back. Pace-off delivery from Shivam Dube. Rolled over his wrist and off all parts of the ground, Raza finds Suryansh Shedge straight at deep square leg. Wessly Madhevere joins Ryan Burl as Zimbabwe are in desperate need of a partnership. FOUR! Madhevere gets off the mark with a single before Burl manufactures a shot, walking across to place the short ball at deep fine leg for a boundary to end the over.

Sikandar Raza c (sub)Suryansh Shedge b Shivam Dube 4(7)

ZIM: 37/4 in 8 overs

Prince Yadav continues. Ryan Burl is finding it really tough to change the strike in this over. India take a review for LBW, but the umpires' call saves Burl as he somehow gets off the mark with a single via a bye. Raza gets off the mark with a sumptuous drive through the extra cover to end the over. End of PowerPlay, India are completely on top of Zimbabwe.

ZIM: 26/3 in 6 overs

Prince Yadav replaces Ashok Sharma. OUT! Debutant Ben Curran falls for 10. Great start for India and Prince Yadav. Short ball, into the body and Curran mishits while looking for a pull, offering a catch to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi at mid-wicket. Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza in the middle now. A wide from Prince outside off, but he finishes the over with four dots.

Ben Curran c Vaibhav Sooryavanshi b Prince Yadav 10(8)

ZIM: 20/2 in 4 overs

Debutant Ashok Sharma to operate from the other end. Facing him will be another debutant, Ben Curran. Curran starts cautiously with a couple of dots, but he uses the extra pace from Ashok, slamming him for a couple of boundaries. First, Ashok keeps it on the pads; Curran whips it off waist over square leg to get off the mark. Curran then pounces on the delivery in the middle by flicking it to deep mid-wicket. Curran plays out the rest of the over as 10 come from Ashok's maiden over on debut.

ZIM: 16/1 in 2 overs

Express pacer Mayank Yadav will start the proceedings with the new ball. Zimbabwe openers Brian Bennett and Ben Curran make their way to the crease.

India (Playing XI): Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Prince Yadav, Ashok Sharma, Mayank Yadav.

Zimbabwe (Playing XI): Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani(w), Ben Curran, Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza(c), Ryan Burl, Wessly Madhevere, Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuri, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani

Both skippers, Sheyas Iyer and Sikander Raza, are out there in the middle for the all-important toss. Raza spins it; Iyer calls it tails and gets it right. India to bowl first, Zimbabwe invited to bat.

India’s Probable XI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (w), Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Harsh Dubey, Mayank Yadav, Prince Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi.

Zimbabwe’s Probable XI: Brian Bennett, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani (w)/Tafadzwa Tsiga, Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza(c), Ryan Burl, Milton Shumba, Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuri, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani.

India: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Rinku Singh, Harsh Dubey, Ravi Bishnoi, Prince Yadav, Yash Thakur, Ashok Sharma, Mayank Yadav, Prabhsimran Singh.

Zimbabwe: Sikandar Raza (Captain), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Ben Curran, Brad Evans, Clive Madande (WK), Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Milton Shumba.