India hammered Zimbabwe by 90 runs in the second T20I to seal the series.
India hammered Zimbabwe by 90 runs in the second T20I at Harare Sports Club on Saturday (July 25) to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Invited to bat first, the visitors racked up a mammoth total of 219/5 on the board. Ishan Kishan stole the slow with a blistering 81 off 44 balls while vice-captain Tilak Varma returned with 60* off 29 balls.
Chasing 220, Zimbabwe got off to a strong start courtesy of Brian Bennett, who slammed 32 off 19 balls with three sixes and as many fours. But the hosts lost wickets in clusters and were eventually bundled out for 129 in 17.5 overs.
With this outcome, India sealed their first T20I series win under Shreyas Iyer's captaincy after a tough recent assignment in the UK.
Speaking during the post-match presentation, Shreyas described the triumph as a 'comprehensive victory' with brilliant contributions from every player.
He particularly commended Ishan and Tilak for their outstanding batting, which pushed India's total well above the par score of 180–200.
“I feel exultant, especially with the way we won today. It was a comprehensive victory and a brilliant contribution from each and every player,” Iyer said.
“[On what stood out most in the performance] Starting with the batting, I think the way Ishan and Tilak played was outstanding. A few of the shots they played were rakanaka (beautiful), and they were really pleasing to the eye. At the start, I felt anything between 180 and 200 would have been a par score, but we ended up getting 220, which was the icing on the cake. So, yeah, brilliant contributions from both of them,” he added.
The skipper was also effusive in praise of the Indian bowlers, who executed their lines and lengths to perfection.
“Then, with the ball, as usual, the bowlers came in, executed their lines and lengths precisely and bundled them out for 130-odd. I think that basically tells you the story of the game,” he stated.
Talking about the team philosophy, Shreyas Iyer emphasized a fearless, present-focused attitude, urging his troops to maximize every opportunity rather than dwelling on past games.
“[On the fearless approach of the young team] Yes, that's how you've got to approach the game. I feel it's all about the attitude. Don't dwell too much on previous performances. Keep moving forward and, more importantly, stay in the present. You've got to maximise every opportunity you get. Tomorrow is another opportunity, so we're looking forward to it,” he remarked.
While changes to the playing XI are expected for the final T20I because Prince Yadav suffered an injury, Iyer confirmed the final decisions have not yet been discussed with the coach.
“Let's see. We haven't decided yet and I haven't spoken to the coach. Unfortunately, one of our players (Prince) picked up an injury, so there could be a couple of changes,” he concluded.
The third and final T20I will be played at the Harare Sports Club on Sunday (July 26).