HARARE — Teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivered a sensational display of power-hitting, smashing a blistering 18-ball half-century to lead India to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the first T20I on Thursday.

The win gave new captain Shreyas Iyer his maiden victory in charge, snapping a tough six-match losing streak following difficult tours of Ireland and England.

Sooryavanshi's Explosive Milestone

Returning to the familiar grounds of Harare—the site where he smashed a memorable 175 off 80 balls in the U-19 World Cup final—the 15-year-old made history by becoming the youngest player in men's international cricket to score a fifty.

While opening partner Abhishek Sharma struggled for timing (1 off 8), Sooryavanshi took control of the chase right from the second over:

  • Attacking the Pace: He launched Richard Ngarava for two massive sixes—including a effortless one-legged pull—to set the tone early.

  • Powerplay Charge: He took on Blessing Muzarabani in the fifth over, smoking a 90m straight hit over the ropes.

  • Reaching the Mark: Sooryavanshi reached his 50 off just 18 deliveries before departing to third man on the very next ball.

Following his dismissal with the score at 68, Ishan Kishan (35) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (28*) easily anchored the remaining run-chase, closing out the 126-run target in 13.2 overs.

Mayank Yadav's Fiery Return

Earlier in the day, express pacer Mayank Yadav made a impactful return to international action in his first appearance since late 2024:

  • First-Ball Strike: Mayank struck on the very first delivery of the match, using a tight, rising length to edge out Zimbabwe opener Brian Bennett via a successful DRS review.

  • Sheer Pace: Hitting speeds consistently above 145 km/h, Mayank hurried the batters throughout his spell, picking up his second wicket when Dion Myers mis-timed a pull shot. He finished with standout figures of 2/18.

Despite brief rearguard efforts from Ryan Burl (26), Wessly Madhevere (38), and Tadiwanashe Marumani (27*), Zimbabwe were restricted to a modest 125/7 in their 20 overs, giving India complete control of the series opener.