Prince Yadav ruled out of 3rd T20I against Zimbabwe after hamstring niggle

India’s bowling line‑up took a hit on Sunday when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that youngster Prince Yadav would miss the third and final T20I against Zimbabwe. He picked up a hamstring niggle while delivering his spell in the second game, and the injury was enough to keep him out of the squad for the showdown in Harare.

It’s a disappointment, especially for a bowler who had been part of the first two fixtures, but the team had already decided on a slight tweak to the XI for the finale. The BCCI’s brief on X simply read, “Prince Yadav was unavailable for selection in the third T20I due to a hamstring niggle which he sustained while bowling in the second T20I against Zimbabwe.”

Meanwhile, the batting side put on a respectable total. After winning the toss, India elected to bat and piled up 192 for 5 in the allotted 20 overs. The headline act? Fifteen‑year‑old opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who turned the crease into a playground with an 81‑run blitz off just 49 balls – eight fours and four sixes – that left fans buzzing.

Sooryavanshi’s innings was a blend of power and poise. He rattled his second T20I fifty in a mere 31 deliveries, only to fall just short of the triple‑figure mark, a heartbreak he will probably chuckle about later. The opening partnership with Abhishek Sharma set the tone, the duo roaring to 17 runs off the very first over bowled by Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza.

Raza managed to nab Sharma for a mere two in the next over, but the momentum stayed with the Indian side. Ishan Kishan added a quickfire 29 before being bowled by the same captain, while Shreyas Iyer, leading from the front, chipped in a crisp 27 off 18 balls. The finishing flourish came from Rinku Singh, who slammed 25 runs off just 14 deliveries, and a steady 11‑run cameo from Tilak Varma ensured the innings closed on a high.

Zimbabwe’s bowlers tried to clamp down, with Brad Evans claiming the best figures of 2 for 41. Sikandar Raza, Blessing Muzarabani and Wessly Madhevere each picked up a wicket, but the overall effort fell short of the target.

When the dust settled, the Indian side’s playing XI read: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Suryansh Shedge, Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Thakur, Mayank Yadav and Ashok Sharma. Zimbabwe fielded a line‑up featuring Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza (c), Ryan Burl, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuri, Wellington Masakadza and Blessing Muzarabani.

While the loss of Prince Yadav is a setback for the Indian pace attack, the team still has several options to plug the gap. Fans will be watching closely to see who steps up in the final 10‑over sprint, and whether the momentum generated by a teenage wonder can carry India to a series win.