Vaibhav Sooryavanshi capped a memorable maiden international series with another record-breaking performance, scoring a composed 81 off 49 balls as India defeated Zimbabwe by 35 runs in the third and final T20I to complete a 3-0 series sweep in Harare on Sunday (July 26).

India seal series

The 15-year-old opener struck eight fours and four sixes in an innings that combined patience with power, helping India post 192/5 after captain Shreyas Iyer elected to bat first. Ishan Kishan contributed 29, skipper Iyer made 27, while Rinku Singh’s unbeaten 25 off 14 balls provided the finishing flourish.

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In reply, Zimbabwe were restricted to 157/7 despite an unbeaten 54 from Ryan Buri. Wessly Madhevere (28), Ben Curran (20) and Dion Myers (19) got starts but failed to convert them into substantial scores. India’s pace attack did the bulk of the damage, with Mayank Yadav returning figures of 3/29 and Yash Thakur picking up 2/45 to seal a comfortable victory.

Another milestone

The match also saw Sooryavanshi script history. The teenager became the first batter from a full-member nation to register two international 50-plus scores before turning 16. It was his second half-century of the three-match series, underlining his remarkable rise at the international level.

Unlike his typically explosive starts, Sooryavanshi adjusted brilliantly to the conditions on a slightly tacky Harare Sports Club surface. He began cautiously, taking time to settle before accelerating through the middle overs. His fifty came off 31 balls, reflecting an innings built as much on maturity as on attacking intent.

Cautious start

The sensational batter still produced several moments of brilliance. He drove Brad Evans straight down the ground for four despite the pacer nailing a yorker and later launched Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza for a towering 102-metre six. He also unfurled a reverse sweep against spinner Wessly Madhevere, highlighting the range of strokes that has made him one of India’s most exciting young batters.

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More importantly, Sooryavanshi anchored the innings after Abhishek Sharma’s lean run continued with another early dismissal. He stitched together a 75-run partnership with Ishan Kishan before adding another 50 runs alongside Shreyas Iyer, ensuring India remained in control despite the challenging batting conditions.

Wait for international century

A maiden international century appeared well within reach before Sooryavanshi was dismissed for 81, with Brad Evans taking an excellent catch at long-off off Madhevere’s bowling. Although India lost some momentum after his departure, Rinku Singh’s late cameo pushed the total close to the 200-run mark.

While the comprehensive victory sealed a clean sweep for India, the biggest takeaway from the series was the emergence of Sooryavanshi.

(With agency inputs)