IND Vs ZIM 2nd T20I Toss Update: Zimbabwe Win & Opt To Bowl; Yash Thakur Makes Debut

Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza won the toss and opted to field first in Harare. Shreyas had won the toss in all 8 games before the 2nd T20I and his record ended on Saturday. Yash Thakur has been handed a debut with the Vidarbha pacer rewarded for consistent performances in domestic cricket.

India Playing XI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Prince Yadav, Yash Thakur, Mayank Yadav

Zimbabwe Playing XI: Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza(c), Ryan Burl, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani(w), Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuri, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani

India began the series in fine style, with a completely dominant performance on Thursday on a difficult wicket. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made a mockery of Zimbabwe's 126-run target, smashing a half-century in just 18 balls. It was the first win of captain Shreyas Iyer's tenure, having failed to secure any wins in the series against Ireland and England.

After winning the toss, Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza said his playing eleven is unchanged from their seven-wicket loss on Thursday. “First reason being the winter wicket as we know, it's slightly spicier at the start, so hopefully we can make early inroads and then see what comes in the batting order later on.

“The surface is certainly a lot better today than it was in the first game, so it may not be as spicy, but we know that in Harare, especially during winter, there will be a bit of spice at the start and hopefully our seamers can make inroads. If they do, it'll go a long way towards helping us stop them. We're going to back the same boys,” he said.

India skipper Shreyas Iyer said pacer Yash Thakur has been handed his international debut and replaces Ashok Sharma in the playing eleven. Thakur, 27, represents Punjab Kings in the IPL and won the Ranji Trophy in 2024/25 with Vidarbha. He has been a regular with the India 'A' team for the last 12 months.

“We were going to bat first. It looks a bit different. It is not that tacky as the first game. Let's make sure it is a belter to bat on. We just pass on the message to stay in the present, it is essential to stay in the moment and play to the best of our abilities,” he said.