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By Ishaan Kapoor — 26 July 2026 — 3 min read

India secures top T20I ranking

India has regained the top position in the ICC Men’s T20I Team rankings following an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series against Zimbabwe in Harare. The current ICC Men’s T20 World Cup champions took over the top spot from England, who had previously held it after a 4-0 T20I series victory at home.

The Indian team demonstrated strong performances in the initial matches of the series. In the first T20I, the bowlers played a key role, complemented by a significant innings from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The second T20I saw the Indian batters take charge, contributing to a dominant victory.

During the second match, after losing two early wickets, Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer formed a 66-run partnership. Following this, Tilak Varma contributed a notable knock, scoring 60 runs off 29 balls. Kishan was the highest scorer in the game, making 81 runs off 44 balls. He commented on the team’s approach, stating that as a batter at number three, the job is to focus on the ball and play naturally, while also assessing the wicket conditions.

Kishan also mentioned the strategic discussions within the team regarding target scores, considering whether to aim for 250, 230, or a more modest 170-180 runs. He highlighted the partnership with Iyer, emphasizing their goal to build an innings and take it deep, noting that their plans were well-executed. Chasing a target of 220, Zimbabwe, also known as the Chevrons, lost five wickets within the first nine overs and were ultimately bowled out for 129, securing India’s unassailable lead in the series.

Sooryavanshi’s record-breaking performance

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continued to set new records, becoming the first player in men’s international cricket to achieve multiple scores of 50 or more before turning 16. The 15-year-old left-handed opener accomplished this feat during the third and final T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare. He scored 81 runs off 48 balls, helping India reach a total of 192/5 after they chose to bat first.

Previously, only Nepal’s Kushal Malla had recorded a 50-plus score in men’s internationals before turning 16. Sooryavanshi’s two such scores now surpass this. His innings in the third T20I showcased a different aspect of his batting on a pitch that offered assistance to bowlers. He started cautiously, accumulating 11 runs from his first 10 balls and 26 from his first 20 deliveries, before reaching his second T20I fifty in 31 balls.

Despite the cautious start, Sooryavanshi’s innings included his characteristic strokeplay. He drove Brad Evans for a boundary straight down the ground from a yorker and later hit a 102-meter six off off-spinner Sikandar Raza. He also executed a reverse-sweep against Wesley Madhevere for another boundary.

While Sooryavanshi settled into his innings, his opening partner, Abhishek Sharma, continued a period of low scores. Sharma edged Blessing Muzarabani to wicketkeeper Tadi Marumani for two runs. His recent six innings have yielded scores of 10, 16, 3, 1, 8, and 2, dating back to the third T20I against England in Nottingham last month.

Sooryavanshi then established a 75-run partnership for the second wicket with Ishan Kishan, who scored 29. He later shared a 50-run partnership with captain Shreyas Iyer, who contributed 27 runs. Sooryavanshi appeared to be heading towards a century before Wesley Madhevere dismissed him, with Brad Evans completing the catch at long-off to end his innings at 81.

After the departures of Sooryavanshi and Iyer, India‘s scoring rate slowed. The middle order managed to add only 47 runs in the final five overs. Rinku Singh’s 25 runs off 14 balls helped India approach the 200-run mark, ultimately finishing on 192/5, a total considered competitive on a bowling-friendly surface.

The two teams are scheduled to play again on July 26, Sunday.

Source: icc-cricket.com