Zimbabwe vs India IND in ZIM, 3 T20Is, 2026, Full Score Card

That's it. India complete a comfortable win by 7 wickets to go 1-0 up in the three-match series. Fuller and down leg, Varma gets inside the line and clips it past square leg for a single to seal the win for his side.

Wide! Drifts well down leg, on a good length. Varma lets it through. The scores are level.

From around the wicket, on a back of a length, outside off. Not wide enough for the cut and Iyer chops it behind point for a run.

Stays short, on off. Shreyas waits on it before punching it through point for a single. 3 more needed for India.

This keeps straight, on a nagging length, on off. Iyer steers it to short third.

Fractionally short, on off, Varma plays it with the turn past cover for a single.

Slower through the air and the length is pulled back, on off. Shreyas drags the pull in front of square and gets to the other end.

Full and quick, at the stumps. Iyer pushes it back to Rana.

Drops it short, turning back in, on middle. Iyer rocks back and pulls it over mid-wicket. He does not get hold of it and it is hauled in. India are now one big hit away, needing 6 more runs.

Bangs it in short, on off. Tilak stands tall to keep it out.

FOUR! That's sloppy from Richard Ngarava. Blessing Muzarabani finds the funny side of it. Short and wide on off. Tilak steers it down to deep third, where Ngarava gets on a knee to make the stop, but he lets it through his legs, and it trickles into the fence.

Hits the deck hard, on off. Varma rises with the bounce and stabs it down on the off side.

The next man in is Tilak Varma.

OUT! CAUGHT! Ishan Kishan falls with the finish line in sight for India. Wobble seam ball, across off. Kishan tries to cover the line and keep it out. This kicks up off a length, and Ishan is taken aback. He cannot adjust to the ball rearing up on him and chips it to cover. Dion Myers gobbles it up with ease. India lose their 3rd wicket, needing 12 more runs.

On a good length, flirting with the tramline. Kishan makes the leave.

Sliding onto the pads, on the fuller side. Shreyas wrists it wide of mid-wicket for a single.

Wide! Sprays it down leg. Iyer misses out on the tickle.

SIX! You just cannot bowl there! Sticks to the short length but goes down the leg side, there to be hit. Ishan Kishan gets inside the line of it and just helps it on its way over the deep fine leg fence for a flat six. India need 14 more runs.

WIDE! Newman Nyamhuri goes short again but outside off, over the tramline, Ishan Kishan throws his bat at it but misses.

Bangs this into the pitch, on middle, Ishan Kishan swivels and pulls it away wide of deep square leg for a couple of more runs.

Change of pace, hard length and outside off, Ishan Kishan cuts it away to point.

Into the surface, on off, Shreyas Iyer dabs it towards point for a run.

FOUR! A bit streaky! Newman Nyamhuri hits the deck hard, around off, and straightens off the deck. Shreyas Iyer looks to punch it away but gets an outside edge that flies past the keeper to the third man fence for a boundary. 100 up for India.

WIDE! Short of a legnth but way outside off, Shreyas Iyer tries to reach out for it but fails to do so. Wided.

Back of a length and around off, Ishan Kishan slashes at it and gets an outside edge. It flies safely towards third man for a single.

DRINKS! The result is pretty much inevitable here, and all Zimbabwe can do is delay it. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's smashing knock ended all hopes for the hosts of putting up a fight to defend this low score. Now, India will be thinking about how quickly they can get the remaining 30 runs and go 1-0 up in the series.

Speared in, full and on middle. This is driven to long off for a run. India need 30 more runs.

Slows it down, fuller and on middle. Ishan Kishan blocks it out.

Pushed through now, on a good length, on middle. Iyer pushes it to long off and turns the strike over.

A bit of air given, slower and on off. Shreyas knocks it to cover.

Flat and short, darted in on middle. Kishan taps it to long on for one more.

Sliding on with the arm, on a good length, on off. Iyer punches it to deep point for a single.

Hits the back of a length, on off. Iyer runs it down to deep third for a run.

FOUR! The effort goes in vain. Evans digs it in short, on middle. Iyer gets on his toes and rolls his wrists over the ball to pull it behind square leg. Ben Curran covers good ground to his right and dives. He even gets a hand on it but it is not enough to prevent the boundary. 35 more needed for India.

Wide! Drifts down leg, not all that short. Iyer hops inside the line to pull it away but misses.

Going away, on a back of a length. Kishan punches it to deep cover for one.

SIX! That has gone back a long way. Evans has struggled with his lines and lengths so far. Down leg, on a back of a length. Kishan gets inside the line and swivels to pick it up over long leg for a six.

From around the wicket, on a good length, on middle. Kishan tries to pick it up on the leg side but there is a bit of extra bounce and it catches the left-hander on the body.

Full and a hint of an away shape, on off. Iyer eases it through covers for a single.

Tossed up, full and on off, Shreyas Iyer drives it to long off for one more.

Short again and around off, Ishan Kishan nudges it through mid-wicket for a run.

Drops it short, on middle, Shreyas Iyer punches it down to long on for a run.

A low full toss, on middle, Shreyas Iyer looks to swipe it across the line but gets a leading edge. The ball rolls wide of short third for a couple of runs.

Floated, full and on off, Shreyas Iyer strides out and pushes it to short cover.

Flatter, full and on middle, Shreyas Iyer looks to clip it to the leg side but gets an inside edge as the ball goes nowhere.

From around the wicket, on a back of a length. Iyer stabs it past point for a single.

Anging away, on a back of a length. Iyer lets it through.

Was there an edge? Going across, on a shortish length. Iyer fends at the ball away from his body. Tadiwanashe Marumani gathers it behind and goes up in an appeal but gets no support from anyone else. Sikandar Raza checks with the keeper before taking the review. There is daylight between the bat and ball, and UltraEdge shows a flat line. The on-field decision is upheld.

FOUR! Edged away! On a hard length, on off. Iyer flashes at the ball. Gets an outside edge and it races down to the deep third fence for a boundary.

The entertainment is over. Skipper Shreyas Iyer comes out to the middle.

OUT! CAUGHT! Fifty and out for the wonderkid. Richard Ngarava fights back after an expensive first over. This is cleverly bowled by Ngarava, fuller and wider on off. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi backs away early and in the end, has to reach out for it. He throws his hands at the ball. It flies down to deep third off a thickish outside edge. Ben Curran settles himself in the deep and takes a reverse cup catch around his left shoulder. End of an entertaining knock from the young left-hander, and he has broken the back of the chase for his side. India are 68/2, needing 58 more runs.

FIFTY FOR SOORYAVANSHI! He endured a tough tour of England, but what a response this has been. It was at this very venue that he smashed a breathtaking 175 off just 80 balls in the Under-19 World Cup final, and now Vaibhav Sooryavanshi brings up his maiden international fifty in just 18 balls here as his love affair with Harare continues. Richard Ngarava digs it in short, on off. Sooryavanshi flat bats it back over the bowler's head. The ball does not have enough legs to reach the fence and it is hauled in. Two taken by Vaibhav to reach the milestone.

A 40-run difference between India and Zimbabwe at the end of the Powerplay. The hosts were 26/3 at this stage, while the visitors are cruising along in the chase. Here is Richard Ngarava to bowl.

Stays on the shorter side, on middle. Kishan nurdles it wide of deep square leg and collects a couple of runs. More than half the target achieved in the Powerplay itself by India.

FOUR! Moral victory for the bowler but runs for the batter. Dug in short, on off. Kishan gets his hands high and goes hard on the pull. Inside edges it past short fine leg and the diving fielder is beaten to his left this time. 12 runs off the over with a ball to go.

FOUR! Gets it away. Newman Nyamhuri goes searching for the yorker but it ends up serving a low full toss on the pads. Easy pickings for Ishan with fine leg up inside the circle. He gets low and swats wide of short fine leg for a four.

Short and wide on off. Kishan throws his hands at the ball but chops it down behind point. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is keen for a single but is sent back.

FOUR! Too straight and that has been helped away. Angled in at the hips, on the shorter side. Kishan makes use of the angle and works it 'round the corner to the right of the man at short fine leg for a boundary.

Moving away a touch, on a length. Kishan pushes it towards cover, but can't get it through.

FOUR! Gets it away again! Blessing Muzarabani bangs this into the pitch, on middle. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi skips down the track, stays leg side of the ball and spanks it over point for four more runs. 50 up for India.

This time the ball is not coming back. The umpires have asked for a replacement.

SIX! Going, going, gone! Slower delivery, full and on middle. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi picks it up early, gets right under it and launches it high and handsomely over the long on fence for a biggie.

Hard length and on off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi steers it wide of cover-point and sets off for the run but Kishan does not respond. However, Wessly Madhevere dives over the ball and lets it through, allowing the batters to take two runs.

FOUR! Up and over! Fuller one and on off, angling away. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi opens up his stance and slices it over extra cover as the ball trickles to the fence for a boundary.

Short of a length and on off, Ishan Kishan rises with the bounce and guides it to third man for a single.

Back of a length and around off, Ishan Kishan stabs it out to cover-point.

Blessing Muzarabani to bowl his third over in a row.

On a length and around leg, Ishan Kishan clips it to deep square leg for one.

Pitched up and on off, Ishan Kishan taps it out towards short cover.

Hard length and on middle and leg, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets into an awkward position and nudges it through mid-wicket for a single. Kishan wants a second but is sent back.

Slower one, full and on leg, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi backs away and drives it to mid off.

Have we lost the ball? It seems to be the case. It has been retrieved now, but it appears to have picked up a bit of dirt, so the umpires are giving it a quick wipe.

SIX! That's easy pickings for the kid! Full again but on the pads. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi steps across, gets low and picks it up to help it over the deep fine leg fence for a biggie. He moves to 31 off just 11 balls.

FOUR! Gets greeted with a boundary! Fuller in length and on off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stays deep inside his crease, clears his front leg and thumps it past the bowler, to the long off fence for a boundary.

Dug into the surface, on off, gets that steep bounce again. Ishan Kishan rides it well and steers it towards backward point.

Zimbabwe have their first wicket. Ishan Kishan comes in at number 3.

OUT! CAUGHT! Blessing Muzarabani strikes first. Good setup from him, going short of a length throughout this over, but serves this one full and outside off. Abhishek Sharma sees this as a scoring opportunity and throws his hands at it. His bat turns in his hand, and he ends up slicing it in the air towards deep third, where Brad Evans takes a nice reverse cup catch. India are 23/1, chasing 126 runs.

Good length and on middle, Abhishek Sharma steps across and pats it to the left of the bowler.

Blessing Muzarabani sees the batter back away, bangs this into the pitch, outside off, keeping it away from the batter. Abhishek Sharma throws his bat at it but fails to reach.

Short of a length and on off, Abhishek Sharma dabs it down to point.

Back of a length and on off, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi runs it down to deep third for a single.

Fuller but angling into the leg side, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi goes down to slog it away but toe-ends it towards mid-wicket for one.

Pitched up, on the pads, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi whips it wide of deep square leg for a brace.

SIX! The best of the lot so far! Richard Ngarava lands this short of a length and just around off. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi keeps his weight on the front foot, stays leg side of the ball and lets his hands do the job. He reaches out in front of him and lofts it on the rise over the long off fence for a biggie.

FOUR! Excellent shot! A half-volley, around off. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi does not move his feet at all and just extends his hands to cream it through covers for a boundary.

SIX! That has gone miles! Richard Ngarava bangs this into the pitch, on middle, angling into the body of the batter. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets inside the line of it and hammers it over the deep backward square leg fence for a monstrous biggie. 100 METERS.

WIDE! Hard length but going down the leg side, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets low to hook it away but misses. Wided.

Big shout for caught behind, but turned down! Richard Ngarava begins with a good-length delivery, around off, and gets it to shape away. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets squared up and the ball zips past the outside edge. Tadiwanashe Marumani grabs it and appeals but gets no real support from others.

A testing first over by the towering figure of Blessing Muzarabani. Richard Ngarava to share the attack.

Dug into the surface, on middle, Abhishek Sharma tries to give himself some room to cut it away. Gets a bottom edge that rolls past the stumps behind. Tidy stuff from Blessing Muzarabani!

Hits the deck hard, around off, Abhishek Sharma opens the bat face and steers it to point.

Hard length and on leg, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi tucks it to the left of short mid-wicket for a quick run.

Blessing Muzarabani bangs this into the pitch, on middle and leg, takes off sharply. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi backs away a bit to upper cut but fails to connect.

Abhishek Sharma and India and are up and running in the chase! Short of a length and on middle and leg, Sharma gets a bit cramped up but pulls it away to deep square leg for a single.

Right on the money! Blessing Muzarabani starts with a back-of-a-length delivery, on middle, gets some steep bounce. Abhishek Sharma takes his bottom hand off the bat and keeps it out to the off side.

A couple of runs to end the innings! Prince Yadav bangs this into the pitch, on middle, takes pace off again. Tadiwanashe Marumani connects with his pull this time towards deep backward square leg and comes back for the second. Zimbabwe finish on 125/7!

A slower bouncer, around off, Tadiwanashe Marumani looks to pull it away but misses.

No hat-trick! Very full, on the off stump. Newman Nyamhuri digs it out to mid off and hurries to the other end. Shreyas Iyer cannot pick the ball up cleanly and that allows Newman to get home.

Newman Nyamhuri walks out to bat on debut. Prince Yadav is on a hat-trick.

OUT! TAKEN! A golden duck for Brad Evans. Prince Yadav goes full again and on off, there to be put away. Evans backs away to loft it but does not get the elevation as he gets it from the bottom of the blade. He ends up hitting it flat and straight to mid off, where Shreyas Iyer takes a simple catch. 122/7 now for Zimbabwe.

Brad Evans makes his way out to bat.

OUT! WESSLY MADHEVERE IS RUN OUT! End of a valuable 58-run stand. Prince Yadav serves this full and on middle, Madhevere swings at it but gets an inside edge towards fine leg. He calls for the second, but Tadiwanashe Marumani is not sure. However, eventually they go for the second run. Shivam Dube picks up the ball and throws it to the keeper's end, where Ishan Kishan does the rest. Wessly Madhevere was nowhere near the crease and had already given up on that. Zimbabwe are 122/6 now.

FOUR! Up and over! Back of a length and around off, Wessly Madhevere deliberately opens the face of his bat and slices it over backward point for a boundary.

Prince Yadav to close out the innings. A wicket to his name, and he has gone for just 11 runs from his 3 overs.

FOUR! Gets it away! Touch fuller and angling into the pads. Tadiwanashe Marumani picks it off nicely and whips it to the deep mid-wicket fence for a much-needed boundary. That also brings up the 50-run stand between these two batters.

Dug into the surface, on middle, Tadiwanashe Marumani backs away and flat-bats it down the ground. Ravi Bishnoi from long off runs to his left and slides to make a good stop. Two taken.

Appeal for caught behind, not given! Mayank Yadav hits the length hard, on middle, angling away. Tadiwanashe Marumani has a hoick across the line but misses as Ishan Kishan grabs it behind the stumps. The keeper says he has heard something and Shreyas Iyer takes the review. However, UltraEdge shows a flat line and the on-field call is upheld.

Was there an edge? Ishan Kishan thinks so. Shreyas Iyer has opted for the review. Flat line on UltraEdge. NOT OUT!

A well-directed slower bumper, around off, Tadiwanashe Marumani drops his hands and lets it go to the keeper.

Short of a length and on off, Wessly Madhevere steps across and heaves it through square leg for a run.

Back of a length and around off, Tadiwanashe Marumani pulls it away to deep square leg for a single.

Mayank Yadav to bowl the 19th over. 3-0-10-2 so far for Mayank.

Hard length and around off, Tadiwanashe Marumani guides it away through point for one. 31 runs in the last 3 overs!

Pace off, dug into the surface, on leg, Tadiwanashe Marumani goes through his pull way too early and misses. It hits his pad and lobs just over the stumps behind.

SIX! Tadiwanashe Marumani joins the party now! Shivam Dube hits the deck hard, on middle, and sits up nicely for the batter. Marumani gets hold of that one and whacks it over the deep mid-wicket fence for half a dozen more.

Short of a length and on middle, Wessly Madhevere pulls it away to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Back of a length and on middle and leg, takes pace off. Wessly Madhevere comes down the track and pulls it towards deep square leg. He turns around for the second and makes his ground, with the throw from the deep a weak one. 100 up for Zimbabwe!

Fuller and on off, Tadiwanashe Marumani knocks it towards the mid off region for a single.

Shivam Dube (3-0-21-1) to bowl out now.

Pushed through quicker, shortish and around off, gets some extra bounce. Wessly Madhevere looks to cut it away but misses.

Drags his length back, on middle, Tadiwanashe Marumani stays back and nudges it through mid-wicket for a run.

A googly, full and on off, Tadiwanashe Marumani goes down for the reverse sweep but gets a bottom edge onto his pads as the ball goes nowhere.

Drops it short and around off, Wessly Madhevere swats it down to long on for a single.

Slows it up, full and on off, Wessly Madhevere fends it off the inner half of the bat down the pitch.

SIX! BANG! Wessly Madhevere goes big now. Floated, full and around middle, in the slot as well. Madhevere clears his front leg away, hits through the line, tonking it over the long on fence for a biggie.

Can Zimbabwe build on the previous over?

WIDE! Fires this one, full and down the leg side, Wessly Madhevere fails to swipe it away. Wided.

Right in the blockhole, on middle, Wessly Madhevere jams it out to long on for one. 11 runs off the over!

FOUR! And again! Back of a length and on off, Wessly Madhevere lets the ball come to him. He opens the bat face and steers it away to the third man fence for another boundary.

FOUR! Deft touch! Ashok Sharma bangs this into the pitch, on middle, takes off a bit. Wessly Madhevere waits for it, sways away and uses the pace to upper cut it just over the keeper's head for a boundary.

Swing and a miss! Hits the deck hard and just around off. Wessly Madhevere skips down the track and has a wild swing at it but only connects with thin air.

Short of a length and outside off, Wessly Madhevere looks to pull it away but has to reach out for it. He gets a top edge that drops in the vacant deep mid-wicket region. Two taken. The batters think about the third but decide against it.

Fuller and around off, Wessly Madhevere pushes it straight to extra cover.

Attacking the stumps, on a length. Madhevere holds his shape and swings through the line. Launches it down towards long on with a straight bat. Tilak Varma moves to his left and tidies up as the ball gets to him on the bounce. Just a single.

Fractionally short, on off and middle. Madhevere climbs all over it as he hammers the pull past mid-wicket. Rinku Singh is quick across the turf to his left and mops it up as he lobs it towards the converging Tilak Varma. Two taken.

Wide! Dug in short, over off. Madhevere bails out of the pull shot. Wide given for height, and Ishan Kishan, unhappy with the decision, has the tea pot out.

Switches to around the wicket and spears it in very full, on off. Marumani digs it out to mid off and hurries to the other end.

Hits the top of off, does Prince. Marumani hangs back to defend.

On a good length, on off. Madhevere slaps it hard to deep point for a single.

Following the batter as he backs away. It is the slower one, on a good length. Madhevere chips it uppishly but it lands away from the man at mid-wicket.

FOUR! Nicely done! Flighted delivery, targeting the leg pole as the left-hander shuffles towards the off side. Marumani gets down on a knee and rolls his wrists over the ball. Sweeps it hard all along the ground through backward square leg for his first boundary.

Quicker and flatter, on a nagging length, outside off. Tadiwanashe pokes at it and is beaten past the outside edge.

Around the tramline again, on the shorter side. Marumani stays back and guides it past the backward point fielder for another brace.

Short and wide on off. Tadiwanashe Marumani reaches out and spanks it to the left of deep point for a couple of runs.

Flatter and it is the googly again, on off. Tadiwanashe Marumani presses back to defend but the ball leaves him to go past the outside edge.

Zimbabwe lose half their side now. Tadiwanashe Marumani walks out to bat.

OUT! CAUGHT! High but not long enough. Ravi Bishnoi has his hands aloft in celebration. It is the googly, on a length, running across the left-hander. Burl gets down on a knee in a bid to go down the ground. The ball spins away and Ryan slices it down the throat of long off, where Tilak Varma backpedals and takes a reverse cup catch. Zimbabwe are now 64/5.

Does not offer much pace, does Dube, on a short of a length, on off. Ryan hits it down to long on without much timing. Just a single.

Dube gets away with it as he strays on the pads. Wessly skips down the track and swipes it away to deep backward square leg for one. This was there to be put away, but Madhevere picked out the fielder.

That in-between length, off-pace delivery, on middle. Ryan forces it off the back foot to deep cover. They cross.

Serves the bumper, over middle. Burl ducks under it. Looked a bit high but the umpire is happy with it.

Pace on now, on a good length, on middle. Madhevere backs away and swings at it. Ekes out an inside edge onto the pads and it rolls on the off side for a run.

Off-cutter, into the wicket, on off. Burl punches it to deep cover and takes a single. Ryan Burl brings up 3000 runs in international cricket.

Slower and fuller, outside off. Burl steps across and gets low to tonk it down the ground. He mistimes the lofted hit and it lands well in front of long on, where Prince Yadav charges in but to no avail. Single taken.

Zipped across the left-hander, on a good length. Burl lets it be in the hope of getting a wide but it sneaks inside the tramline.

Floated up, around off. Madhevere walks inside the line for the paddle but misses. A leg bye is taken as the ball goes behind off the pads.

Pushed through, fuller and on middle. Wessly Madhevere stabs it down the strip.

Serves the googly, on the shorter side and keeps it near the tramline on off. Ryan flat bats it to long off for a run.

Full and fired across. Burl attempts the reverse but wears it on the pads, outside the line of the off stump.

Another slower ball and on seeing the batter charge down the track, Dube pulls the length length back. Ryan can only tap it wide of cover for one.

Rolls his fingers over the ball and it is fuller, on off. Burl tries to nudge it away but ends up chopping it down the strip.

A bit more effort behind this ball, on off. Burl makes room to open up the off side. He gets his hands high to slap it away but misses.

Bangs it in short, on off. Burl stands tall and drags the pull wide of deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

SIX! Ryan Burl finally gets one away. On a length, on middle. Burl gives himself room, exposing all three stumps and swings it away towards the deep mid-wicket fence for the first six of the game. The 50 is up for Zimbabwe.

On a good length, on off. Wessly runs it down to deep third for a single.

DRINKS BREAK! VVS Laxman, India's head coach for the series, walks out for a quick chat with his players, though there isn't much to discuss given the professional manner in which India have gone about their business so far. Zimbabwe are going nowhere with their innings. They have been itching to break free, but India simply haven't allowed them to. The home side will have to take their chances but be smart about it, and who knows, one or two big overs could be all they need to get up and running. Shivam Dube returns with a change of ends.

Slows it up, full and around off, Wessly Madhevere gets across and paddles it to fine leg for one more.

Tossed up, full and around middle, Ryan Burl clears his front leg and slogs it but does not get the timing right. There is a shout of 'Catch it' but the ball drops well in front of wide long on. Just one.

Flatter, short and on off, Wessly Madhevere punches it through covers for a run.

Flighted, full and on off, Ryan Burl drives it to long off for a single.

WIDE! Fires this one, full and way outside off, Ryan Burl fails to reach out for it. Wided.

Floated, full and on off, Wessly Madhevere goes down and across to sweep but misses as the ball goes off his pads towards short fine. A leg bye taken.

Ravi Bishnoi picks up a wicket with his very first ball, or has he? A googly, full and on middle, turns in a bit. Wessly Madhevere gets forward to block but looks like he misses and gets hit on the pads. There is a big shout for LBW, and the finger goes up. However, Madhevere takes a review right away. UltraEdge shows a spike when the ball is next to the bat, confirming an inside edge. The on-field call is changed to Not Out.

First look at spin as Ravi Bishnoi comes on.

On a length and on leg, Wessly Madhevere nudges it to deep square leg for one.

Hard length and on off, Ryan Burl heaves it off the inner half of the bat through square leg for a run.

Lands this on a good length and on middle, Ryan Burl keeps it out on the pitch.

Back of a length and on off, angling away. Ryan Burl looks to pull but misses as the ball goes off his back to the right of the keeper. Ishan Kishan fails to collect it cleanly but no harm done.

Fuller and on middle, Wessly Madhevere tucks it wide of mid-wicket, where Tilak Varma makes a good diving stop. Just a single.

Low full toss, on off, Wessly Madhevere drills it towards mid off.

FOUR! Nicely done! Shivam Dube digs this into the surface, on middle. Ryan Burl shuffles across to get inside the line of it and hooks it to the deep fine leg fence for a boundary.

Fuller and around off, Wessly Madhevere pushes it through covers for a run.

Hard length and on off, Wessly Madhevere dabs it to point.

Short of a length and outside off, Wessly Madhevere looks to cut but chops it down on the pitch.

Wessly Madhevere is in next. A slip in place for the new batter.

OUT! TAKEN IN THE DEEP! Shivam Dube strikes in his first over as well. He gets the big fish in the form of the Zimbabwe skipper. Hard-length delivery, around off, holds up in the surface a bit. Sikandar Raza tries to take it on with the big slog across the line but hits it towards the longer boundary and does not get the connection right. It flies to deep mid-wicket, where the sub fielder, Suryansh Shedge is standing well ahead of the ropes and pouches it safely. Zimbabwe are reeling at 32/4 now.

Back of a length and on middle and leg, Ryan Burl heaves it to deep square leg for a single.

No spin just yet. Shivam Dube to bowl now.

Pitched up and around off, Ryan Burl opens the bat face and steers it through point for a single.

Dug into the surface, on middle, Ryan Burl backs away and swats it off the toe-end of the bat. It goes over the bowler's head but Vaibhav Sooryavanshi from long on moves to his right to cut it out. Two taken.

Run out chance...missed! Ashok Sharma goes much fuller and on off, Ryan Burl drives it firmly to mid off. Sikandar Raza sets off for the run but is sent back very late. Shreyas Iyer picks up and has a shy at the bowler's end but misses, with Raza already giving up on that one.

WIDE! Hard length and outside off, angling further away, Ryan Burl throws his bat at it but misses. Called a wide.

Halt! Ryan Burl is going through the concussion check. Burl puts the helmet back on and he is ready to resume.

Ashok Sharma bangs this into the pitch at 142 kph, on middle. Ryan Burl looks to pull it away but gets hurried and misses, getting hit on the helmet. A mandatory concussion check to follow now.

Back of a length and around off, Ryan Burl dabs it down to point.

WIDE! Short of a length but down the leg side, Ryan Burl looks to hook it away but misses. Wided.

Nails the yorker, on off, angles away, Ryan Burl is late to get his bat down and fails to dig it out.

Done with the Powerplay.  Ashok Sharma is back with a change of ends.

FOUR! Lovely shot! Fuller one and around off, Sikandar Raza steps out of his crease, shows the full face of the bat and creams the drive through extra cover for a boundary. Zimbabwe are 26/3 at the end of the Powerplay.

Ryan Burl survives! Prince Yadav lands this on a good length and on middle, nips back in a bit. Ryan Burl looks to clip it across the line but his head falls and he misses to get hit on the pads. The ball rolls towards third man and the batters get a leg bye. There is a massive shout for LBW, but turned down. However, Shreyas Iyer takes the review after a chat with his keeper and bowler. UltraEdge confirms no bat involved, but Ball Tracking shows that the ball is just clipping the bails and it is umpire's call on wickets. That saves Burl here

Review time. LBW not given on-field. India don't think it is that high, and it seemed pretty straight as well. Shreyas Iyer takes the review. The Ball Tracking comes up as umpire's call, with the ball clipping the top of the off stump.

Back of a length and on middle, Ryan Burl stays back and pats it to the left of the bowler.

Change of pace, hits the length hard and on leg, Ryan Burl fails to work it across the line and gets hit on the pads.

Play and a miss! Full again and around off this time, Ryan Burl takes a couple of steps across to whip it away but fails to connect.

Fuller in length and on middle and leg, shapes in a touch, Ryan Burl looks to flick it away but misses and gets hit on the back leg.

Angled in, on middle and leg, on a good length. Raza gets on his toes to turn it away but fails to get it away and gets hit on the pads.

Moving away off the seam, on a good length. Burl is squared up while trying to defend. Squirts it beside the strip on the off side and sets off for the run. Tilak Varma gets to the ball and fires in a throw, which catches Burl on his back.

Dishes out the bumper, over off. Burl rises with the bounce to fend it down but is beaten past the outside edge.

Going away, on a good length. Burl guides it to point.

Number 3 goes down for the Chevrons. Ryan Burl is the next man in.

OUT! CAUGHT! Zimbabwe's top three back in the hut inside 5 overs. Dion Myers struggled right throughout his innings against Mayank Yadav. Zipping through, on middle and leg. Not all that short for the horizontal bat shot. Myers hangs back and swings his bat at it. Ends up flat-batting it straight to mid on, where Shivam Dube makes no mistake.

Slanting in at the pads. Myers is beaten for pace on the flick and wears it on the pads.

Four dots in a row to end the over. In the channel, on a good length. SIkandar taps it to cover. A wicket and just the wide off Prince's first over.

At 137 kph, on middle and leg. Raza turns it off the pads to mid-wicket.

Honing in on the off pole, on a good length, Raza has just blocked that from the crease.

On a good length, outside off. Raza walks towards the off side and is a bit squared up by the seam movement but angles it to point.

Wide! Short and beyond the tramline. Raza thinks about going after it but pulls out of the shot at the last moment.

Both the openers are gone now. Skipper Sikandar Raza comes out to the middle.

OUT! CAUGHT! Prince Yadav strikes with his second ball. Ben Curran falls cheaply on his T20I debut. Prince delivers it on a back of a length, on middle. Curran tries to play the pull in front of square and has no intention of keeping it on the ground but does not quite get hold of it. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is standing on the edge of the ring at mid-wicket. He slides to his left and completes a safe catch.

Begins from around the wicket, outside off. Not short enough for the cut and Curran ends up chopping it down to cover.

Prince Yadav replaces Ashok Sharma.

Back to hitting the deck hard, on middle. Dion taps it to mid on from the crease.

Wide! Takes pace off and it is on a back of a length. Myers fails to help it away.

Nearly went to hand! Nipping away off the seam, on a nagging length, on middle. Myers pushes out in front of his body with hard hands. It balloons off an outside edge to backward point, where Ravi Bishnoi dives in front but it does not carry.

Wide! Short ball, sprayed down leg. Dion ducks.

A swing and a miss. Mayank lands it on a hard length, on off. Myers swings across for the pull but is beaten for pace as the ball sails over his blade.

Another bumper, over the right shoulder. Dion ducks under it but leaves his bat hanging like a periscope, something he will have to be careful about.

Mayank dishes out the short ball, angled in at the batter. Myers attempts the pull but is tucked up for room and is rushed on the pull. Mistimes it to mid on.

Abhishek Sharma is walking off with the physio. He seems to have hurt his right hand.

DROPPED! Abhishek Sharma shells it. Oh, it would not have mattered anyway as Mayank Yadav has overstepped. It is a No Ball. Short and wide on off. Myers hangs back and cracks the cut to point. Abhishek gets low to take the catch but the ball dips on him and catches him on the wrist. To make matters worse, Sharma has injured himself and is going off the field. Free Hit coming up.

Mayank continues to trouble Myers with his pace. On a nagging length, on off and middle. Dion stays leg side of the ball to deal with it. The ball nips away to beat the right-hander all ends up.

Bangs it in short, on middle and leg. Ben ducks under it.

Drags the length back now, on off. Curran hops and shovels it to the left of the man at mid on for a couple of runs.

FOUR! Hit with absolute authority. Fuller in length, a bit of shape back in, on middle. Curran gets the front leg out of the way and holds his shape to club it over mid-wicket for four more.

FOUR! Curran opens his account in T20Is. A little too straight, on a length, Ben clears the front leg and picks it up nicely behind square leg for a boundary.

Very full, a bit of tail at the toes. Curran digs it out to mid-wicket.

Pushed across the left-hander, on a length. Curran lets it be.

An eventful first over. Ashok Sharma will share the attack.

Dug in short, over off. Dion Myers drops his wrists and sways away from the line of the ball.

FOUR! Edged away! Into the wicket, outside off. Myers pokes at the ball away from his body. Gets an outside edge that flies down to deep third and beats the fielder in the deep to his left.

Myers and Zimbabwe are underway! Mayank bashes the back of a length, on off. Dion stands tall on top of the bounce and punches it past the diving cover fielder. Myers has his eyes on the ball and he clatters into Yadav, knocking the bowler over in the process. He is keen for a third run but gets sent back in the nick of time.

Another one that zips through, on a good length. Myers hangs back to defend but is squared up by as the ball moves away.

Goes past the bat! Pitched up, it moves away a touch in the air. Myers does not move his feet at all and pushes away from his body to be beaten past the outside edge.

Early blow for Zimbabwe. Dion Myers walks out to bat at number 3.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! India get the review right and what a start this is for the visitors. An unbeaten 97 the last time Brian Bennett faced India, but a golden duck here. Mayank hits the hard length at 149 kph, on off. It angles in before straightening off the deck. Bennett hops and presents a straight bat for the block but is squared up by the seam movement before it goes behind to the keeper. A big shout for caught behind but turned down. Ishan Kishan and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi seemed to have heard something but there is no reaction from the bowler. Shreyas Iyer takes the review. The UltraEdge comes up with a spike, confirming the outside edge. The on-field decision gets overturned. Zimbabwe are 0/1.

Is that out? A massive appeal for caught behind, not given on the field but Shreyas Iyer has taken a review here. UltraEdge shows a small spike when the ball is next to the bat. The on-field call is overturned to Out.

All in readiness for the series opener! Shreyas Iyer leads the Indian outfit out in the middle as they spread out and take their respective field positions. Brian Bennett and Ben Curran are the two openers for Zimbabwe. Mayank Yadav has the new ball in hand and is raring to go. Let's play...

We are moments away from the first ball, but before that, Shreyas Iyer and Sikandar Raza will lead their respective sides out for the national anthems. It will be India's national anthem first, followed by that of Zimbabwe.

Let's hear from Shivam Dube - Dube says some of the players have arrived a little later, but the squad is ready for the series. He describes Harare as an amazing venue and admits he hasn't followed Zimbabwe's recent matches closely. However, he feels they have improved steadily over the years. Dube says the team experienced the highs of winning the World Cup and is currently going through a dip. Adds that once the team halts the slide and regains momentum, the upward curve will begin again.

A quick word - Zimbabwe's Blessing Muzarabani says the Bangladesh series was a good one for him as he was able to make the most of the conditions. Acknowledging that India are a top side, he says international cricket ultimately comes down to bat versus ball, and backs himself to get the better of the contest if he consistently hits the right lengths. Blessing opines that Harare is quite different from Bulawayo, offering a bit more bounce that suits their bowling attack, although the surface can also be a little slow.

PITCH REPORT - Ed Rainsford says that it is a superb day for cricket. Adds that the shortest part of the ground is 62 meters and the longest one is 81 meters. Tells that the groundstaff have to manage the moisture which is unusual at this time of the year. Mentions that it looks like a flat surface with a few cracks on it, but he doesn't expect them to affect much. Says that 165 is usually the par score here, but he reckons 180 will be par on this wicket.

India (Playing XI) - Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (WK), Shreyas Iyer (C), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Prince Yadav, Ashok Sharma (On T20I debut) and Mayank Yadav.

Zimbabwe (Playing XI) - Brian Bennett, Ben Curran (On T20I debut), Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza (C), Ryan Burl, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani (WK), Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuri (On T20I debut), Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani.

The skipper of Zimbabwe - Sikandar Raza says they don't mind batting first as this isn't a typical Harare surface. Expects a bit in it for the bowlers early on but believes it will not last too long, adding that there are plenty of runs to be had. Despite the T20I series defeat to Bangladesh, he believes the side took plenty of positives from it and is looking to build on those performances. Informs that Newman Nyamhuri and Ben Curran make their T20I debuts, and they are going with four seamers.

The captain of India - Shreyas Iyer says that it is his first time here and he doesn't know how the wicket will behave. Adds that, looking at the practice wickets, he anticipates it to have good bounce, and that's why they are bowling first. Iyer mentions that it was pleasing to see Zimbabwe's performance in the World Cup and the way the bowlers and batters executed their plans. Ends by saying that they are going with three seamers and one spinner.

TOSS - Time for the coin to go up in Harare. Sikandar Raza, donning the retro strip, is out in the middle alongside Shreyas Iyer. Iyer calls it correctly. India elect to BOWL first.

Ready to test India - Zimbabwe's pace attack has been central to their recent success and will once again be their biggest weapon. Given how India struggled against the short ball and steep bounce in England, Zimbabwe's tall seamers possess the ideal recipe to pose similar questions here. With the bat, more than individual brilliance, they will need to fire as a unit. Stay tuned as the flip of the coin is not far away.

A chance to respond - India's batting came under the scanner after a disappointing UK tour, especially considering many of their batters had enjoyed prolific IPL campaigns. Translating that form to overseas conditions proved far from straightforward, and the series offers the visitors an opportunity to show they can adapt more effectively. The series also offers a glimpse into India's pace reserves. Prince Yadav has only four T20Is and three ODIs to his name, Mayank Yadav has played just three T20Is, while Ashok Sharma and Yash Thakur are yet to play for India. 

The opening act - We are in Harare, in a country known for its abundant wildlife and the thundering waters of the Victoria Falls. India are still licking their wounds, and Zimbabwe will smell blood. A wounded lion can be at its most dangerous, but this Zimbabwe side has it in them to challenge a new-look Indian team. Hello and welcome to our coverage of the first T20I, with the next two games to be played over the weekend.

... MATCH DAY ...

A fresh start - India begin a fresh chapter in their T20I journey when they take on Zimbabwe in the opening match of the three-game series at Harare Sports Club. With Shreyas Iyer leading a youthful Indian side and Zimbabwe eager to make home conditions count, the 1st T20I promises an intriguing clash of ambition and opportunity. The series comes at an important time for India, who are looking to regain momentum after a disappointing run in recent T20I assignments. For Zimbabwe, this is a chance to test themselves against one of the world's strongest T20 sides and continue building their confidence after recent success against Bangladesh. India looking to kickstart the Iyer era - India have opted for a blend of established T20 performers and exciting young talent for this tour. Shreyas Iyer captains the side, with Tilak Varma serving as vice-captain. The squad features explosive batters such as Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Rinku Singh and teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. India’s batting depth is formidable, but the spotlight will be on how quickly this relatively inexperienced group settles into international conditions. The middle order, anchored by Iyer and Tilak, will be crucial in balancing aggression with stability. In the bowling department, Ravi Bishnoi offers leg spin, while Mayank Yadav, Yash Thakur and Ashok Sharma add pace and variety. India’s challenge will be to adapt their attack to Harare’s traditionally slower surface. Hosts looking to cause trouble - Zimbabwe will see this series as a valuable opportunity to measure themselves against elite opposition. Playing at Harare Sports Club gives them familiarity with the conditions, and they will hope to use that advantage to unsettle India’s young side. The hosts have announced a squad that combines experience with fresh talent, including uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Tafadzwa Tsiga, who could make his T20I debut. Zimbabwe’s success will depend heavily on their ability to strike early with the ball and prevent India’s power-hitters from dominating the middle overs. Players such as Sikandar Raza, Brian Bennett and Blessing Muzarabani will be central to Zimbabwe’s hopes. Raza’s all-round influence, in particular, could prove decisive if the match becomes a close contest.  What's the pitch saying? The Harare Sports Club surface is generally known for offering assistance to bowlers, especially as the match progresses. Early on, batters can score freely if they settle in, but the pitch often slows down, bringing spinners and change-of-pace bowlers into play. A score in the region of 160-170 is likely to be competitive, depending on the amount of grass left on the surface. Captains winning the toss may prefer to chase, as evening conditions can make batting slightly easier. Form (Last 5 completed T20Is, recent first) - ZIM - LLWLL | IND - LLLLL. Predictions? Even after a string of poor results, India enter the match as favourites due to their superior batting depth and variety in the bowling attack. However, Zimbabwe’s familiarity with Harare conditions and the presence of experienced campaigners like Raza and Muzarabani mean they cannot be underestimated. If India’s young batters handle the early pressure, they should have enough firepower to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Zimbabwe’s best chance lies in making the match a low-scoring contest and capitalising on any nerves within the inexperienced Indian lineup. Who do you think will come out on top?