1st T20I Updates: Sooryavanshi stars, India outclass Zim by 7 wkts

Shreyas Iyer's wait is finally over. After eight matches in charge, the India captain celebrated his first win, watching from the non-striker's end as Tilak Varma sealed a comfortable seven-wicket victory.

After restricting Zimbabwe to 125/7, India were always in control. Blessing Muzarabani struck early to dismiss Abhishek Sharma for 1, but Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's breathtaking 18-ball fifty blew the chase apart and turned it into a one-sided affair.

Sikandar Raza bowled another tidy over, but it wasn't enough to delay the inevitable. Shreyas Iyer picked up a couple through deep midwicket before adding a single, while Tilak Varma rotated the strike with one of his own. Five runs came from the over as India moved to 123/3 after 13 overs, leaving them needing just three runs from 42 balls.

With victory all but sealed, Richard Ngarava took the ball for what proved to be the final over. Iyer nudged a single to point before a wide brought the scores level. Tilak then calmly tucked the next delivery into the leg side for a single to seal the chase.

India completed a comfortable seven-wicket win, chasing down 126 with ease after a dominant all-round performance.

Newman Nyamhuri returned, but India kept the chase moving at pace. Ishan Kishan began the over with an edged single to third man before a wide gifted India an extra run. Shreyas Iyer then punished a loose delivery with a boundary and added a single. Kishan was briefly tied down by a dot ball but responded with a couple behind square, benefited from another wide, and capped the over with a towering six. 

Skipper Sikandar Raza brought himself into the attack and immediately slowed the scoring. Shreyas Iyer began cautiously, defending the first two deliveries before collecting a couple and then nudging a single into the leg side. Ishan Kishan added a run to long-on, while Iyer kept the scoreboard ticking with another single. 

Brad Evans was introduced, but Vaibhav Sooryavanshi wasted no time taking him on. The young opener greeted him with a cracking boundary before clearing the ropes with another effortless six, racing to 31 off just 11 balls. 

Blessing Muzarabani continued his disciplined spell and kept India in check. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi picked up a single first ball before Abhishek Sharma struggled to get going. He found the point fielder with one delivery, was sent back by Sooryavanshi while attempting a risky single on the next, and then could only block another back-of-a-length ball.

Muzarabani finally got his reward. Abhishek looked to take on a short-of-a-length delivery but only managed to spoon a catch to Brad Evans, ending a scratchy stay at the crease. Abhishek departed for just 1 off 8 balls.

Ishan Kishan walked in at No. 3 and safely negotiated the final delivery. It was a superb over from Muzarabani, yielding just one run and the crucial wicket, with India 23/1 after three overs.

Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi walked out to chase 126, with Blessing Muzarabani taking the new ball. 

Shivam Dube returned to bowl his final over, and Zimbabwe finally found some momentum. Tadiwanashe Marumani opened with a single before Wessly Madhevere skipped down the track to pick up a couple, bringing up Zimbabwe's 100. 

Prince Yadav returned to the attack and kept things under control. Wessly Madhevere started with a dot before nudging one to backward point for a single. Tadiwanashe Marumani also rotated the strike, while a wide added to Zimbabwe's tally. India continued to keep the scoring in check as six runs came from the over, with Zimbabwe reaching 78/5 after 15 overs.

Ashok Sharma's return proved more expensive. Madhevere began cautiously with a defensive stroke before collecting a couple. He then had a wild swing at a full delivery and missed completely, but responded in style by hammering back-to-back boundaries. A single off the final ball capped an excellent over for Zimbabwe, which yielded 11 runs and took them to 89/5 after 16 overs.

Ravi Bishnoi came back into the attack and was greeted with intent. Madhevere missed an attempted sweep first up, with the delivery called a wide, before cashing in on a ball in the slot by launching it for six. Bishnoi recovered well, tightening his lines and conceding only singles for the rest of the over. Nine runs came from it as Zimbabwe moved to 98/5 after 17 overs.

Shivam Dube returned to the attack, and Ryan Burl finally found a release shot. Madhevere opened the over with a single to third man before Burl launched Dube for a towering six. He followed it up with a couple but couldn't keep the momentum going, defending the next two deliveries before taking a single off the last ball. Ten runs came from the over as Zimbabwe moved to 56/4 after 11 overs.

Ravi Bishnoi kept things tight from the other end. Burl and Madhevere could manage only singles as the leg-spinner conceded just three runs, leaving Zimbabwe on 59/4 after 12 overs.

Dube's next over was another controlled one. Burl picked up a single with a cut to deep point, while Madhevere survived a scare when an inside edge nearly crashed into his stumps. A wide was the only extra as the batters continued to rotate strike. Five runs came from the over, taking Zimbabwe to 64/4 after 13 overs.

Bishnoi then struck the breakthrough India were after. Burl looked to take him on, lofting one towards long-off, but the bigger boundary worked against him. The ball went high rather than far, and Tilak Varma settled under it to complete a comfortable catch. Burl's patient knock ended on 26 off 35 balls, giving Bishnoi a deserved wicket.

Ashok Sharma continued his tidy spell, giving Zimbabwe little room to break free. Wessly Madhevere began the over with a solid defence before working one to midwicket for a single, only for the fielder to dive across and save a certain boundary.

Zim 37-4 (8 Ovs) vs India | SCORECARD

Zim 26-3 (6 Ovs) vs India | SCORECARD

Mayank Yadav continued to trouble Zimbabwe's batters. Dion Myers was beaten first up by another lively delivery, before getting a huge let-off when Abhishek Sharma spilled a catch at cover-point. It wouldn't have counted anyway, as Mayank had overstepped for a no-ball. Abhishek also appeared to hurt his wrist while attempting the catch and walked off the field with the physio.

Myers then saw off the next two deliveries, but Mayank wasn't done. The pacer hurried him with a sharp short ball, beating his attempted pull with extra pace and bounce. He finished the over with a couple of wides down the leg side as Zimbabwe reached 19/1 after three overs.

At the other end, Prince Yadav made an instant impact. Ben Curran looked to pull a short-of-a-length delivery but only managed a mistimed shot off the inner half. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi moved smartly to his left at midwicket and completed a sharp catch, sending Curran back for 10 off eight balls. India had their second wicket and tightened their grip on the contest.

Sikandar Raza then walked out to the middle with Zimbabwe under early pressure.

Debutant Ashok Sharma shared the new ball from the other end, with Ben Curran starting cautiously by defending his first delivery.

Mayank Yadav couldn't have asked for a better start. Handed the new ball with a slip in place, the India pacer struck with his very first delivery. He produced a beauty on a back of a length just outside off, drawing Brian Bennett into the shot before finding the edge. Ishan Kishan completed a comfortable catch behind the stumps, and Bennett's review couldn't save him. 

Here are the playing XIs

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

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

India won the toss and opted to bowl first.

Captain Shreyas Iyer said it was his first time at the venue, but the practice wickets suggested there could be some bounce. He also praised Zimbabwe's recent progress, saying they have played impressive cricket over the past couple of years, especially at the World Cup. 

India have picked three seamers and one spinner.

Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza said that this isn't a typical Harare Sports Club wicket.