SerpApi.Org
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza has dismissed suggestions that India will walk into the upcoming T20I series as overwhelming favourites, insisting that the three-match contest will be far more evenly balanced than many expect. The series begins on Thursday at the Harare Sports Club, with the remaining matches scheduled for July 25 and 26 at the same venue.
India arrive in Zimbabwe looking to recover from a disappointing white-ball tour of Europe. Under new T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, the visitors suffered a 2-0 series defeat to Ireland in Belfast before enduring a 4-0 loss against England in a five-match series. India also lost the ODI leg 2-1 under Shubman Gill, leaving the side searching for answers ahead of another overseas assignment.
Despite India's pedigree in the shortest format, Raza believes the contest is too close to call. The veteran all-rounder, who has represented Zimbabwe in 136 T20Is, stressed that recent performances by his side justify their confidence.
"Both countries will have an equal chance in this series. But one thing I am very sure about is that because Zimbabwe has been playing very consistent and very entertaining cricket, I can say this for sure that this series will be very entertaining," Raza told Star Sports.
ZIMBABWE'S GIANT KILLING RUN
Zimbabwe's optimism is rooted in a remarkable run of results over the past year. In one of the biggest upsets of the Men's T20 World Cup earlier this year, the African side stunned Australia by 23 runs in Colombo, a result that ultimately contributed to the former champions' shock group-stage exit. Zimbabwe also registered victories over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in 2026, underlining their rise in the shortest format.
Raza acknowledged that India are undergoing a transition phase but pointed out that Zimbabwe, too, are rebuilding and integrating younger players into the setup.
"Yes, India is going through a transition and to some extent you'll see Zimbabwe is also gonna have a little bit of transition happening as well. I don't see it as a one-sided series," he said.
India will nevertheless draw confidence from their last tour of Zimbabwe in 2024, when they recovered from an opening defeat to win the five-match T20I series 4-1 under Shubman Gill.
With both teams eager to prove a point, Raza expects an entertaining contest rather than a foregone conclusion.
