The T20 World Champions, Team India is taking on Zimbabwe in a five-match T20I series at the Harare Sports Club in Harare, Zimbabwe, starting July 6. The T20 champions will be led by Shubman Gill and features some of the future stars, including Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rinku Singh, Abhishek Sharma and several others.
Ahead of the opening T20I in Harare, youngster and India all-rounder Riyan Parag along with Abhishek Sharma, and Dhruv Jurel were handed their debut caps. In a special moment, Parag, who received a maiden call up on the back of a brilliant IPL 2024, was handed the debut cap by his father Parag Das. Das is a former First Class cricketer of Assam.
Speaking at the toss, Shubman Gill, who won the toss and opted to bowl first, revealed the debut of three players. “We will field first. I think it looks like a good surface. It won’t change much later. It has been long coming. We won an ICC event after 11 years. You always have some expectations from yourself. We have three debutants, Sharma, Jurel and Parag make their debuts,” he said at toss.
Zimbabwe and India’s Playing XI for 1st T20I
Zimbabwe: Tadiwanashe Marumani, Innocent Kaia, Brian Bennett, Sikandar Raza (C), Dion Myers, Johnathan Campbell, Clive Madande (wk), Wessly Madhevere, Luke Jongwe, Blessing Muzarabani, Tendai Chatara.
India: Shubman Gill (C), Abhishek Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed.