IND vs ZIM: India put to bat against Zimbabwe, PBKS star makes debut; know playing XIs

Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bowl first against India in the second T20I being played in Harare on July 25. The 27-year-old pacer Yash Thakur, who plays for Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL, has been handed debut cap as he replaced Ashok Sharma in India's playing XI.

What did the captains say at the toss?

After losing the toss, India captain Shreyas Iyer revealed that his team originally intended to bat first. Observing the pitch, he noted that it looked less sticky than it did in the first match and expressed hope that the bounce would be much more consistent this time around. When asked about his message to the young squad following their massive previous victory, Iyer emphasized the importance of staying grounded and avoiding complacency. While he wants the players to enjoy their success, he urged them to stay focused on the present and play to their full potential, trusting that a solid approach will naturally lead to good results. Iyer also confirmed one change to the playing XI, with Yash Thakur stepping in for Ashok Sharma.

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On the other side, Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza elected to bowl first after winning the toss. He explained that winter wickets in Harare typically offer early assistance to the seamers, and he is relying on his bowling attack to secure quick breakthroughs. Although Raza acknowledged that the surface looked significantly better and perhaps less demanding than the one used in the series opener, he still anticipates enough early movement to trouble the Indian batters. Unlike India, Zimbabwe has opted to stick with the same lineup, fielding an unchanged side for the match.

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India's Playing XI:

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Prince Yadav, Yash Thakur, Mayank Yadav

Zimbabwe's Playing XI:

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