Shreyas ‘wants to be on the winning side’ to kick off Zimbabwe challenge

New Delhi, July 23 (IANS) Indian T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer said that he wants to embrace every moment and stay in the present as the team takes on Zimbabwe in a three-game series also stating that he wants himself and the side to be on the winning side as they gear up for the challenge in Harare.

Zimbabwe will face the Men in Blue in three T20Is starting Thursday at Harare Sports Club. The hosts recently suffered a 2-1 series defeat against Bangladesh, while the visitors come into the match after losing six consecutive matches in the format – both T20Is in their series against Ireland and being whitewashed 4-0 in a five-match series against England.

Hungry to register his first series win as Indian captain, Iyer sees the Zimbabwe T20Is as a great opportunity.

“Looking forward to playing an exciting game over here. We definitely want to be on the winning side. Let’s get used to the practice sessions, the weather, and the conditions as quickly as possible and see to it that we get the best results. I’m excited to be here. It’s a great opportunity. I see it as an amazing opportunity. Can’t be thinking beyond, but I want to stay in the present and embrace each and every moment as much as possible,” Iyer said in a video shared by BCCI on Thursday ahead of the series opener.

Teenage opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is expected to be one of the main attractions, likely partnering with Abhishek Sharma at the top of the order. Harare Sports Club has been a favorable venue for both batters: Abhishek made a notable international debut with his first T20I century at this ground, and Sooryavanshi also scored a significant hundred during the Under-19 World Cup final earlier this year.

Conditions could challenge India’s batting. The Harare pitch typically provides pace and bounce, which benefits Zimbabwe’s experienced fast bowlers Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava. India must show more discipline with the new ball to prevent another batting collapse.

Zimbabwe will be confident of exploiting home conditions, ensuring India cannot afford to take the series lightly.

–IANS

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