Days after the high of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 title, Team India will be seen in action again. A young, new-look side led by Shubman Gill is in Zimbabwe for a five-match T20I series in Harare, starting Saturday, July 6. (Streaming | Preview | Full T20 WC Coverage)
The 15-member India squad has none of the members from the core group that won the elusive ICC trophy. Travelling reserves Gill and Rinku Singh are the only players even remotely associated with the World Cup-winning team, and hence the onus will be on the young turks to prove their mettle after the retirement of veterans Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja.
As for hosts Zimbabwe, this will be a chance to make amends after their disastrous Africa Region qualifying campaign, which led to them missing out on the T20 World Cup. Their captain Sikandar Raza struck a match-winning half-century against Bangladesh in his previous game, and will be keen to carry that form into the India series.
Who will win in the India vs Zimbabwe, 1st T20I of their five-match series? What will be the weather like? How will the pitch play? Know it all here.
India Vs Zimbabwe Head-To-Head Record
The two teams have faced off eight times in T20 internationals. India have won six of those games, while Zimbabwe have won twice.
India Vs Zimbabwe Squads
India: Shubman Gill (c), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma, Tushar Deshpande, Harshit Rana.
Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Sikandar Raza (c), Johnathan Campbell, Clive Madande (wk), Innocent Kaia, Wessly Madhevere, Luke Jongwe, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Tendai Chatara, Brandon Mavuta, Dion Myers, Faraz Akram, Antum Naqvi.
India Vs Zimbabwe Probable XIs
India: Shubman Gill (c), Abhishek Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Tushar Deshpande, Khaleel Ahmed.
Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Sikandar Raza (c), Johnathan Campbell, Antum Naqvi, Clive Madande (wk), Wessly Madhevere, Luke Jongwe, Faraz Akram, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani.
India Vs Zimbabwe Weather Report
There is negligible to zero chance of rain interrupting the match. The temperatures will hover in the mid 20s (degree Celsius).
India Vs Zimbabwe Pitch Report
This will be the first T20I match to be held at the Harare venue in 2024. Just five of the last 12 first-innings scores have gone past 150 runs here. Spinners have done well in the recent past, and a similarly spin-friendly pitch could be in store on Saturday.
India Vs Zimbabwe Prediction
Considering India's pedigree and Zimbabwe's relative inexperience against big teams lately, Google gives the Men In Blue an 88% winning chance against the hosts' 12%.
