India's Young T20I Team Stumbles in Harare

India's young cricket team suffered a disappointing 13-run defeat to an inexperienced Zimbabwe side in the first T20I of the five-match series in Harare on July 6.

Led by debutant captain Shubman Gill, India opted to field first and restricted Zimbabwe to 115/9 in 20 overs. Wrist-spinner Ravi Bishnoi claimed a career-best 4 for 13, while off-spin-allrounder Washington Sundar snapped 2 for 11.

However, India's batting lineup faltered in pursuit of the modest target. Despite handing debuts to Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, and Dhruv Jurel, the young Indian batters failed to shine. Eight of the Indian batsmen were dismissed for single-digit scores, leaving Washington Sundar (27 off 34 balls) as the only batsman to offer any resistance.

Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza led from the front with his tidy 3/25 from his spin bowling, while Tendai Chatara bagged 3/16 from 3.1 overs.

This defeat marks India's first loss in the T20I format in 2024. It also highlights the challenges facing the young Indian team as they prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Tags: #Cricket, #Twenty20, #Zimbabwe, #India, #Debutants