India beat Zimbabwe by 35 runs in third T20I to sweep series 3-0

Chasing a daunting target of 193 runs, the hosts could only make 157/7 in 20 overs as Indian skipper Shreyas Iyer registered his first series win after taking charge of the T20I side last month.

The start of the run chase was not ideal for the hosts as they lost the wicket of opener batter Brian Bennett on the very first delivery of Zimbabwe's innings.

Playing his second match of the tour, pacer Yash Thakur got back-to-back wickets when he dismissed Dion Myers and Sikandar Raza in the fourth over. Myers made 19 off 15 balls, whereas Raza could not open his run account.

Ryan Burl and Ben Curran added 31 runs for the fourth wicket before Ravi Bishnoi broke the partnership by dismissing Curran for 20 runs.

Then Burl added 60 runs for the fifth wicket with Wessly Madhevere (28 off 25 balls) before Mayank Yadav provided another breakthrough in the 16th over.

He went on to dismiss Brad Evans in the last over to get three wickets in the match. Ryan Burl was the lone warrior for the Chevrons with 54 not out off 43 balls with the help of five boundaries.

Mayank Yadav took three, Yash Thakur grabbed a brace, whereas Ashok Sharma and Ravi Bishnoi got one wicket apiece.

This is India's third successive victory in the shortest format after six defeats on the tours of Ireland and England.

Earlier, India posted a competitive 192/5 after winning the toss in Harare, riding on a blistering 81 off 49 balls from 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

The young opener provided the platform for a strong total with his aggressive knock, while Rinku Singh's late cameo further boosted India's score.

Sooryavanshi's innings included eight fours and four sixes, while skipper Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan also made valuable contributions. For Zimbabwe, Brad Evans was the most successful bowler, claiming two wickets.

India made a flying start as openers Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma smashed 17 runs off Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza in the opening over.

However, Zimbabwe hit back in the following over, with pacer Blessing Muzarabani dismissing Abhishek for just two runs. India ended the first four overs at 38/1.

Sooryavanshi then shifted gears, attacking the Zimbabwean bowlers alongside Ishan Kishan to take India to 64/1 and finish the powerplay on a strong note.

Sooryavanshi continued his aggressive approach as India moved to 89/1 after nine overs. On the fifth ball of the 10th over, the 15-year-old sensation brought up his second T20I half-century in just 31 balls, taking India to 95/1.

During the first ball of the 11th over, skipper Raza clean bowled Kishan for 29 off 26 balls, including four fours. By the end of the 13th over, skipper Shreyas Iyer and Sooryavanshi had guided India to 123/2.

Sooryavanshi then smashed a six and two fours off Wessly Madhevere in the 15th over. However, Madhevere had the last laugh, dismissing the Indian opener off the final delivery.

The 15-year-old missed out on a well-deserved century, departing for a blistering 81 off 49 balls, including eight fours and four sixes, as India reached 145/3.

By the end of the 17th over, captain Iyer and Tilak Varma had taken India to 164/3. However, Brad Evans struck in the following over, dismissing Iyer for 27 off 18 balls, including two fours.

Towards the end of the innings, Tilak Varma (11* off nine balls, including one four) and Rinku Singh (25 off 14 balls, with two fours and a six) powered India to 192/5 in 20 overs.

For Zimbabwe, Brad Evans was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets for 41 runs, while skipper Sikandar Raza (1/40), Blessing Muzarabani (1/33) and Wessly Madhevere (1/37) claimed one wicket each. (ANI)