introduction to Zimbabwe National Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team Timeline
The latest chapter in the Zimbabwe national cricket team vs India national cricket team timeline was written at Harare Sports Club on 26 July 2026. India beat Zimbabwe by 35 runs in the 3rd T20I to complete a 3-0 series sweep. Teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 81 off 49 balls to lift India to 192/5. Zimbabwe finished on 157/7 despite Ryan Burl’s unbeaten 54.
This article gives you the over-by-over story of that match, the full head-to-head record, and a year-by-year timeline of the rivalry from 1983 to 2026.
Zimbabwe vs India Match Summary (Quick Facts)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | 3rd T20I, India tour of Zimbabwe 2026 |
| Date | Sunday, 26 July 2026 |
| Venue | Harare Sports Club, Harare |
| Toss | India won and chose to bat |
| Scores | India 192/5 (20 overs); Zimbabwe 157/7 (20 overs) |
| Result | India won by 35 runs (series 3-0) |
| Player of the Match | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (81 off 49) |
| Player of the Series | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (151 runs, SR 196.10) |
The match was played on the same pitch used for the 2nd T20I a day earlier. The surface was dry and slow, so the batting side had to work harder for its runs than in the first two games.
Zimbabwe National Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team Match Timeline
India Innings Timeline (192/5)
Powerplay (Overs 1–6): 64/1
- Over 1: Sikandar Raza opens with spin and goes for 17 runs, including five wides down the leg side.
- Over 2 (1.5): Blessing Muzarabani strikes. Abhishek Sharma (2) edges to keeper Tadiwanashe Marumani. India 20/1. It was the third time Muzarabani dismissed Abhishek in the series.
- Over 3: Newman Nyamhuri bowls three wides in a row to Ishan Kishan.
- Over 4: Sooryavanshi pulls Muzarabani for a 90-metre six over deep square leg.
- Over 6: Kishan hits Brad Evans for two fours. Sooryavanshi ends the powerplay with a straight drive for four. India 64/1.
Middle Overs (7–15): 145/3 after 15
- Over 7: Sooryavanshi pulls Wellington Masakadza for six to bring up the 50 stand. The over costs 14.
- Over 10 (9.5): Sooryavanshi reaches his fifty off 31 balls, his second of the series. India 95/1 at drinks.
- Over 11 (10.1): Raza bowls Kishan (29 off 26) around his legs, ending a 75-run stand. India 95/2.
- Over 13 (12.3): Sooryavanshi dances down and hits Raza for a 102-metre six over long-off.
- Over 15: Shreyas Iyer hits two fours off Wessly Madhevere. On the last ball, Sooryavanshi lofts to long-off and Evans takes a full-length diving catch. He goes for 81 (8 fours, 4 sixes). India 145/3.
Death Overs (16–20): 47 runs for 2 wickets
- Over 17: Tilak Varma plays a reverse swipe over short third for four off Muzarabani.
- Over 18 (17.1): Iyer (27 off 18) pulls a slower ball from Evans to Madhevere at deep midwicket. India 164/4.
- Over 19: Muzarabani gives away just 7 runs.
- Over 20: Rinku Singh clears extra cover for six after Madhevere’s catch attempt crosses the rope. On the last ball, Madhevere takes a diving catch to send Rinku back for 25 off 14. India finish on 192/5.
Zimbabwe Innings Timeline (157/7)
Powerplay (Overs 1–6): 53/3
- Over 1 (0.1): Mayank Yadav strikes with the first ball. Brian Bennett edges to Sooryavanshi at first slip for a golden duck. Zimbabwe 0/1.
- Over 3: Dion Myers pulls Mayank for six.
- Over 4: Mayank drops Myers at fine leg. Two balls later, Yash Thakur gets Myers (19) caught by Iyer. Next ball, Thakur takes a sharp return catch to remove captain Raza for a golden duck. Zimbabwe slip from 34/1 to 34/3.
- Over 6: Ravi Bishnoi comes on. Burl cuts him for four and Zimbabwe reach 53/3.
Middle Overs (7–15): 122/4 after 15
- Over 7: Kishan drops a skier from Ben Curran behind the stumps. Curran then hits two fours.
- Over 8 (7.2): Bishnoi removes Curran (20) with a reverse lap caught at short third. Zimbabwe 65/4.
- Over 10: Zimbabwe are 77/4 at drinks, needing 116 from 60 balls.
- Over 13: Madhevere hits a six onto the roof and Zimbabwe pass 100.
- Over 15: Tilak drops Madhevere at extra cover. Madhevere then hits a six and a four, and the stand passes 50. The over costs 15 runs.
Death Overs (16–20)
- Over 16 (15.4): Mayank returns and Madhevere (28) holes out to Tilak at deep midwicket. The 60-run stand ends. Zimbabwe 125/5, needing 68 off 26 balls.
- Over 18 (17.1): Ashok Sharma bowls Marumani (1) for his maiden T20I wicket. Zimbabwe 134/6.
- Over 19: Burl reaches his fifty off 42 balls with a flick to fine leg.
- Over 20: India play the last over with an extra fielder inside the circle due to a slow over-rate penalty. Mayank removes Evans (14) caught by Rinku. Zimbabwe end on 157/7.
Turning Point of the Match
Zimbabwe were alive at 122/4 after 15 overs, with Burl and Madhevere scoring freely. Mayank Yadav’s return in the 16th over changed that. Madhevere’s dismissal left Burl with too much to do alone. Earlier, Thakur’s double strike in the 4th over had already pushed Zimbabwe on the back foot. India dropped several catches, but it did not cost them the game.
Zimbabwe vs India Scorecard Highlights
Top Batters
| Batter | Team | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | IND | 81 | 49 | 8 | 4 |
| Ryan Burl | ZIM | 54* | 43 | 5 | 0 |
| Ishan Kishan | IND | 29 | 26 | 4 | 0 |
| Wessly Madhevere | ZIM | 28 | 25 | 1 | 2 |
| Shreyas Iyer | IND | 27 | 18 | 2 | 0 |
| Rinku Singh | IND | 25 | 14 | 2 | 1 |
| Ben Curran | ZIM | 20 | 19 | 2 | 0 |
Top Bowlers
| Bowler | Team | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayank Yadav | IND | 4 | 29 | 3 |
| Yash Thakur | IND | 4 | 45 | 2 |
| Brad Evans | ZIM | 4 | 41 | 2 |
| Ashok Sharma | IND | 4 | 20 | 1 |
| Ravi Bishnoi | IND | 4 | 24 | 1 |
| Blessing Muzarabani | ZIM | 4 | 33 | 1 |
India vs Zimbabwe Head-to-Head Record
Head-to-head record as of 27 October 2026:
| Format | Matches | India Won | Zimbabwe Won | Tied | Drawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 11 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| ODI | 66 | 54 | 10 | 2 | – |
| T20I | 17 | 14 | 3 | 0 | – |
| Total | 94 | 75 | 15 | 2 | 2 |
India have won about 80% of all meetings. Zimbabwe have never won a bilateral T20I series against India. The two sides have not played a Test since 2005 or an ODI since 2022.
Zimbabwe vs India Rivalry Timeline: Year by Year
- 1983 – ODI World Cup, England: The first meeting. India won both group games. At Tunbridge Wells, Kapil Dev’s 175* rescued India from 17/5.
- 1992 – First Test, Harare: Zimbabwe’s first-ever Test match ended in a draw against India.
- 1998 – One-off Test, Harare: Zimbabwe won by 61 runs for their first Test win over India.
- 1999 – ODI World Cup, Leicester: Zimbabwe won by just 3 runs as India collapsed at the end of the chase.
- 2001 – Test series, Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe won the Harare Test to draw the series 1-1.
- 2005 – Test series, Zimbabwe: India won 2-0. This remains the last Test series between them.
- 2010 – First T20Is, Harare: India won both matches of their first T20I meetings.
- 2016 – T20I series, Harare: India won 2-1 after Zimbabwe took the first game by 2 runs.
- 2022 – ODI series, Harare: India swept 3-0. Shubman Gill hit 130 in the final ODI, which India won by 13 runs despite a Sikandar Raza century.
- 2022 – T20 World Cup, Melbourne: India won by 71 runs.
- 2024 – T20I series, Harare: Zimbabwe won the opener by 13 runs, then India won four in a row for a 4-1 series win. Abhishek Sharma hit a century in the 2nd T20I.
- February 2026 – T20 World Cup Super 8, Chennai: India posted 256/4 and won by 72 runs, knocking Zimbabwe out.
- July 2026 – T20I series, Harare: India won 3-0 (by 7 wickets, 90 runs and 35 runs) under Shreyas Iyer.
Top Performers in Zimbabwe vs India Matches
Official career totals for this rivalry are not consistently published across sources, so here are the standout names based on verified match records:
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (IND): Player of the Series in July 2026 with 151 runs at a strike rate of 196.10, including an 18-ball fifty in the 1st T20I.
- Ishan Kishan (IND): Smashed 81 off 44 in the 2nd T20I of 2026 and shared a 94-run stand with Tilak Varma.
- Brian Bennett (ZIM): Scored an unbeaten 97 off 59 balls against India at the 2026 T20 World Cup.
- Sikandar Raza (ZIM): Zimbabwe’s captain and their most-capped player across formats, with a century against India in 2022.
- Kapil Dev (IND): His 175* in 1983 is still the most famous innings in this rivalry.
Memorable Zimbabwe vs India Matches
Kapil Dev’s 175, Tunbridge Wells, 1983:* India were 17/5 against Zimbabwe at the World Cup. Captain Kapil Dev counter-attacked with an unbeaten 175 to lift India to a winning total. India went on to win the World Cup that year, and many fans see this knock as the turning point of the campaign.
The 256 in Chennai, 2026: In a must-win Super 8 game on 26 February 2026, India made 256/4, their highest total at a T20 World Cup. Abhishek Sharma (55 off 30), Hardik Pandya (50* off 23) and Tilak Varma (44* off 16) did the damage. Bennett’s 97* kept Zimbabwe fighting, but they finished on 184/6. Arshdeep Singh took 3/24 and Hardik was Player of the Match. India later went on to win the tournament.
Zimbabwe’s 2024 shock in Harare: In the first T20I of the 2024 series, Zimbabwe defended a small total and bowled India out to win by 13 runs. India bounced back strongly to take the series 4-1, but the result reminded everyone that Zimbabwe can bite at home.
What’s Next for Zimbabwe and India
The next meeting is already fixed. Zimbabwe will tour India for a three-match ODI series in January 2027. The games are scheduled for 3 January (Kolkata), 6 January (Hyderabad) and 9 January (Mumbai). It will be Zimbabwe’s first bilateral tour of India since 2002 and the first ODIs between the teams since the 2022 series.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the last Zimbabwe vs India match?
India won the last match, the 3rd T20I on 26 July 2026 at Harare Sports Club, by 35 runs. India made 192/5 and held Zimbabwe to 157/7. The win completed a 3-0 series sweep.
What is the India vs Zimbabwe head-to-head record?
As of October 2026, the teams have met 94 times across formats. India have won 75, Zimbabwe 15, with 2 ties and 2 draws. India lead the T20I record 14-3.
Who was Player of the Match in the latest ZIM vs IND match?
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was Player of the Match for his 81 off 49 balls. He was also Player of the Series with 151 runs in three games.
Where was the latest Zimbabwe vs India match played?
The latest match was played at Harare Sports Club in Harare, Zimbabwe. All three T20Is of India’s 2026 tour were played at this ground.
When is the next Zimbabwe vs India match?
The next meeting is the 1st ODI on 3 January 2027 in Kolkata. Hyderabad and Mumbai host the remaining two ODIs on 6 and 9 January.
Has Zimbabwe ever beaten India in a Test match?
Yes, Zimbabwe have beaten India twice in Tests, both times in Harare, in 1998 and 2001. India have won seven of the 11 Tests between the sides.
Conclusion
The Zimbabwe national cricket team vs India national cricket team timeline shows a rivalry that India have controlled for decades, with Zimbabwe landing rare but memorable blows. The 2026 season belonged to India: a 72-run win in Chennai and a 3-0 sweep in Harare. Young stars like Sooryavanshi and Mayank Yadav led the way, while Burl and Bennett kept Zimbabwe competitive. The January 2027 ODI series in India is the next chapter to watch.
