Shreyas Iyer Leads India to T20I Series Victory Over Zimbabwe

In a remarkable turnaround, Shreyas Iyer led India to a 3-0 T20I series victory over Zimbabwe, marking his first series win as captain. Stand-in coach VVS Laxman praised Iyer's leadership and the team's collective effort, highlighting their 'winners' mindset.' The final match saw India secure a 35-run win, with standout performances from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and key bowlers. Iyer reflected on the team's near-perfect display, crediting Laxman for his motivational support. Discover more about this exciting series and the players' performances.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 27, 2026, 15:56 IST

Iyer's First T20I Series Win as Captain

VVS Laxman, the stand-in coach for India, praised Shreyas Iyer for securing his inaugural T20I series victory as captain during the recent tour to Zimbabwe. Laxman commended the team's collective effort and their 'winners' mindset' throughout the series.

India achieved a clean sweep, winning all three matches against Zimbabwe, culminating in a 35-run victory in Harare on Sunday. This win marked a significant turnaround for Iyer, who faced challenges earlier in his captaincy, including a 0-2 defeat to Ireland and a 0-4 loss to England in previous T20I series.

Laxman Applauds Iyer's Leadership

In a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Laxman expressed admiration for Iyer's enthusiasm and his ability to lead a new group of players, including debutants Ashok Sharma and Yash Thakur. He stated, 'A big round of applause to the entire team. We aimed to win the series, and I want to congratulate Shreyas for bouncing back after a tough start to his captaincy.'

Laxman highlighted the confidence Iyer displayed, noting that only a few players from the previous tour to England were part of this squad. He emphasized that much of the credit for the victory should go to Iyer for his encouragement and leadership.

Iyer Reflects on Team's Performance

Iyer acknowledged the team's largely 'flawless' performance, despite a few dropped catches, and expressed gratitude to Laxman for his motivational support. 'We were nearly perfect throughout the series, except for the catches we missed. It was a tremendous effort from everyone, including the support staff. Thank you, VVS sir, for inspiring us,' Iyer remarked.

He appreciated the guidance provided by Laxman, stating that the advice resonated with the team each day they took the field.

Match Highlights

In the final match, India chose to bat first, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivering an impressive performance, scoring 81 runs off 49 balls, supported by Rinku Singh's late innings of 25 runs off 14 balls. India finished their innings at 192/5 in 20 overs, with Brad Evans taking 2 wickets for 41 runs for Zimbabwe.

During Zimbabwe's chase, they struggled early, finding themselves at 65/4 within 7.2 overs. Despite a resilient half-century from Ryan Burl, who scored 54 runs off 43 balls, Zimbabwe could only manage 157/7 in their 20 overs, losing by 35 runs. Key bowlers for India included Mayank Yadav (3/29), Yash Thakur (2/45), and Ashok Sharma (1/20).