Indian Cricket Team Arrives in Harare for T20 Series Against Zimbabwe
Harare: Led by skipper Shubman Gill and coached by National Cricket Academy chief VVS Laxman, a young Indian cricket team has arrived in Harare to play a five-match T20 International series against Zimbabwe, beginning July 6.
A video posted by Zimbabwe Cricket on X showed the team exiting the airport with their luggage. The squad departed from Mumbai on Tuesday, while Gill, who had been a travelling reserve with the T20 World Cup side in the Americas, arrived from New York after a brief break.
“We welcome T20 World Cup champions India,” Zimbabwe Cricket wrote on Tuesday night in a post on X.
Young top-order batter Riyan Parag, set to make his India debut in the series, shared his excitement in a video posted by the BCCI. “The feel of donning the India jersey and travelling with the team is different. Coming from Assam, I had this dream of playing for India. Really happy. There will be a special connection with Zimbabwe when I play my first match. That will be a special moment for that ground and myself,” he said. “After misplacing my passport and phones, we are finally here after a 20-hour journey. Now, really looking forward to the tour,” Parag added.
Another newcomer, medium pacer Tushar Deshpande, expressed his feelings about being part of the national setup, saying, “The feeling is slowly sinking in and it’s like a dream come true for me. Playing for the country is very special. Travelling with the team is important to get to know them and understand the team’s atmosphere, and the fun we have during travel is significant for me.”
Big-hitting left-hander Abhishek Sharma shared his sentiments, stating, “From the day I started playing cricket, I had only one dream: to play for the country. I knew if I continued working hard, I would get an opportunity, but I didn’t know it would be in Zimbabwe. I received a call from Shubman after my name was announced in the squad. Everyone has been very supportive, and it was a big moment for me. When I reached home after the announcement, my family members were giving interviews, which is a moment I will always remember.”
India will play their opening match against Sikandar Raza’s Zimbabwe on July 6 at the Harare Cricket Ground. The remaining four games will also be held at the same venue, with the series concluding on July 14.
T20 World Cup travelling reserves Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal, along with all-rounder Shivam Dube, were scheduled to join the Zimbabwe-bound group but are currently stranded in Barbados due to Hurricane Beryl. As replacements, Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma, and Harshit Rana were named in the Indian squad for the first two matches of the series.
Samson, Jaiswal, and Dube, along with other senior players, are expected to arrive in India on Thursday morning aboard a charter flight and will be felicitated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Pacer Khaleel Ahmed and batter Rinku Singh, travelling reserves for the T20 World Cup, are also in Barbados. The BCCI has not named replacements for Ahmed and Singh, although they are in the squad for the Zimbabwe series.
