India sealed a dominant 3-0 Twenty20 International (T20I) series sweep over Zimbabwe with a comfortable 35-run victory in the third and final match at the Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
Teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi anchored the innings with a superb 81 off 49 balls before pacer Mayank Yadav's incisive spell of 3-29 ensured the hosts never threatened the 193-run target.
Batting first, India posted 192/5 on the back of Sooryavanshi's mature knock, a blend of controlled aggression and smart strike rotation. The left-hander struck eight fours and four sixes while stitching together a 75-run stand with Ishan Kishan (29) and a 50-run partnership with skipper Shreyas Iyer (27). Rinku Singh then provided the finishing touch with an unbeaten 25 off just 14 deliveries as India collected 40 runs in the final four overs.
Sooryavanshi dominated from the outset despite Abhishek Sharma falling cheaply to Blessing Muzarabani for the third time in the series. The youngster reached his second T20I half-century in just 31 balls before eventually holing out for 81 after Brad Evans took a brilliant diving catch. Evans finished as Zimbabwe's most successful bowler with 2-41, while the hosts also conceded 17 extras, including 15 wides.
Zimbabwe's chase began disastrously as Mayank removed Brian Bennett with the opening delivery of the innings. Yash Thakur then struck twice in successive balls, dismissing Dion Myers and captain Sikandar Raza, leaving the hosts reeling inside the powerplay. Ryan Burl (54 not out) and Wessly Madhevere (28) attempted a recovery with a 60-run stand, but India's bowlers never allowed the momentum to shift.
Mayank returned to remove Madhevere and Evans, while Ashok Sharma claimed his maiden international wicket as Zimbabwe finished on 157/7. Despite spilling five catches in the field, India produced a disciplined all-round performance to wrap up an emphatic series sweep and head home with renewed confidence.
