India captain Shreyas Iyer was a happy captain after team's dominant seven-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the first T20I in Harare. The win gave India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series and brought immense relief to Iyer, ending a frustrating seven-game winless slump as India's T20I skipper, a run during which he consistently won the toss without getting a victory on the board. India first were handed a 0-2 whitewash in Ireland in Iyer's first assignment as T20I captain. It only got worst in the England tour as India suffered a 0-4 T20I series defeat.
Can't be more happier: Shreyas Iyer on first win as India captain
Lauding his side's execution with the ball, Iyer expressed delight at how well the attack adapted to the Harare pitch. He singled out fast bowler Mayank Yadav for setting the foundation, praising the pacer's explosive opening spell that capitalized on the track's extra bounce and denied the home side any room to break free early in the innings.
Turning his attention to the chase, the Indian captain was full of admiration for young prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, whose familiar comfort with the ground helped spark a rapid start. Iyer commended the teenager's fearless approach and unshakeable confidence, noting that the strong opening platform allowed India to build decisive partnerships and cruise to a dominant win.
"Exceptional. They were tremendous in their execution. Can't be more happier to get my first win. Vaibhav came out and gave us an exceptional start with the bat," Iyer said after the match.
India hammer Zimbabwe by 7 wickets in first T20I
Talking about the match, after being put into bat, Zimbabwe got off to a disastrous start as fast bowler Mayank Yadav, making his international return after two years—struck on the very first ball of the match to send Brian Bennett packing for a golden duck. India’s fresh-faced bowling unit kept the pressure firmly on the hosts, tearing through their top order to reduce Zimbabwe to 64 for 5.
Mayank Yadav (2/18) and Prince Yadav (2/19) led the charge with highly economical four-over spells. While debutant Ashok Sharma went wicketless, spinner Ravi Bishnoi and all-rounder Shivam Dube chipped in with a wicket apiece, ultimately restricting the home side to a modest 125 for 7 in their 20 overs.
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Although Sooryavanshi fell off the very next ball following his milestone, the outcome was never in doubt. Ishan Kishan (35 off 24) joined forces with skipper Shreyas Iyer for a brisk 46-run stand to put India on the brink of victory. Following Kishan's dismissal, Iyer remained unbeaten on 28 alongside Tilak Varma to seal a dominant win with 40 balls remaining.