New Delhi: Captain India Shreyas Iyer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the 15-year-old teenage batting prodigy, received special praise after he produced a stunning match-winning performance India beat Zimbabwe in seven wickets at the opening T20I in Harare on Thursday.Suryavanshi smashed 50 off just 19 balls and completed his maiden international half-century in just 18 deliveries as India chased down 126 in just 13.2 overs. The left-hander’s explosive innings also saw him become the youngest player to score a fifty in men’s international cricket, breaking the previous record held by Nepal’s Kushal Malla. After the big win, Iyer was full of admiration for the teenager’s fearless performance.“He is fearless and the way he approaches the game is amazing. When he steps on the field, he has huge confidence,” Iyer said after his first win as India’s T20I captain.
Perfect response after a quiet trip to England
Sooryavanshi’s international career began quietly during India’s tour of England earlier this month, with scores of 14, 13 and 15 in the T20I final as India lost the series.However, a return to Harare Sports Club – where he smashed 175 off just 80 balls in the Under-19 World Cup final earlier this year – proved to be the perfect stage for the youngster to showcase himself.Also read: Sooryavanshi’s electrifying ‘A’ celebration steals hearts after hitting historic world record fifty – WatchAfter settling in with four consecutive deliveries, Sooryavanshi launched a stunning counterattack. He hit four boundaries and four towering sixes, destroying Zimbabwe’s bowling attack with a fearless stroke play.His innings effectively ended the previous match within the Powerplay Richard Ngarawa He was eventually dismissed one ball after he reached his half-century.Ishan Kishan (35) and captain Iyer (28 not out) then completed the chase with ease.
Iyer celebrates first win as India captain
The win also marked a major personal milestone for Iyer, who finally tasted success after a difficult start to his tenure as India’s T20I captaincy.The 31-year-old celebrated his first win as captain in style after losing seven of his previous games in charge during the tours of Ireland and England.Iyer praised his bowlers and batsmen for executing the team’s plan perfectly.“It was awesome. They executed really well. I’m very happy to get my first win,” he said.The skipper also explained his decision to bowl first after winning the coin toss.“I was expecting a bounce and there was quite a bounce. Mayank provided a great start. No room was given to them,” he said.Mayank Yadav set the tone by dismissing Brian Bennett with the first ball of the match before finishing with two wickets, while Prince Yadav also claimed two scalps as Zimbabwe were restricted to 125 for seven. India then completed the chase with ease, thanks in no small part to Suryavanshi’s stunning attack.
