Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continued his remarkable rise with a scintillating 81, while tearaway pacer Mayank Yadav produced a fiery opening spell to propel India to a comprehensive 35-run victory over Zimbabwe in the third and final T20 International at the Harare Sports Club here on Sunday.
The victory gave India a clean 3-0 sweep of the series and capped a dominant campaign under captain Shreyas Iyer, with the visitors outplaying Zimbabwe in every department.
After winning the toss, Iyer opted to bat, and India’s young batting unit responded with an imposing 192 for five in 20 overs.
The innings revolved around the fearless Sooryavanshi, whose 49-ball 81 was packed with eight boundaries and four sixes. The left-hander mixed elegant strokeplay with clean hitting, keeping the scoreboard moving at a strike rate of over 165 and once again underlining why he is regarded as one of India’s brightest young talents.
India suffered an early setback when Abhishek Sharma fell for two in the second over, but Sooryavanshi joined forces with wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan to seize control of the contest. The pair added 75 runs for the second wicket, with Kishan playing the supporting role in a steady 29 off 26 deliveries.
Sooryavanshi brought up his half-century in commanding fashion before accelerating further, punishing anything short or overpitched. He eventually fell for 81 in the 15th over, having laid the ideal platform for a big finish.
Captain Iyer maintained the momentum with an aggressive 27 off just 18 balls, while Rinku Singh provided the late flourish with a blistering 25 off 14 deliveries, striking two fours and a six. Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 11 as India collected 47 runs in the final five overs to finish on a challenging total.
Brad Evans was Zimbabwe’s most successful bowler with two wickets, while captain Sikandar Raza, Blessing Muzarabani and Wessly Madhevere claimed one wicket each.
Zimbabwe’s pursuit of 193 never gathered momentum as India’s pace attack struck immediately.
Mayank Yadav needed just one delivery to make an impact, dismissing Brian Bennett for a golden duck with the opening ball of the innings. Yash Thakur then turned the screws by removing Dion Myers for 19 and trapping skipper Sikandar Raza for a first-ball duck off successive deliveries, reducing Zimbabwe to 34 for three inside four overs.
Ben Curran attempted to rebuild with 20 before Ravi Bishnoi dismissed him, leaving Zimbabwe at 65 for four.
Ryan Burl mounted a lone resistance with an unbeaten 54 off 43 balls, hitting five fours, while Madhevere chipped in with 28. The pair briefly revived Zimbabwe through a 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket, but India’s bowlers never allowed the asking rate to come under control.
Ashok Sharma removed wicketkeeper Tadiwanashe Marumani cheaply before Mayank returned to dismiss Madhevere and Brad Evans, finishing with impressive figures of three for 29 from four overs.
Yash Thakur claimed two wickets despite conceding runs, while Ravi Bishnoi and Ashok Sharma picked up one wicket each as Zimbabwe were restricted to 157 for seven.
The result completed India’s emphatic whitewash and highlighted the depth of the visitors’ young squad. Sooryavanshi once again stole the spotlight with another match-winning innings, while Mayank’s pace and aggression set the tone for a disciplined bowling performance.
For Zimbabwe, Ryan Burl’s unbeaten half-century was the lone bright spot in an otherwise disappointing outing, as the hosts struggled to cope with India’s intensity throughout the three-match series.
India will leave Harare with renewed confidence after an unbeaten campaign, having combined explosive batting, disciplined bowling and sharp fielding to outclass Zimbabwe in all three T20 Internationals.
Brief Score:
India: 192 for 5 in 20 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 81; Brad Evans 2/41, Blessing Muzarabani 1/33).
Zimbabwe: 157 for 7 in 20 overs (Ryan Buri 54 not out; Mayank Yadav 3/29, Yash Thakur 2/45).