Vaibhav Sooryavanshi keeps it real after first Player of the Series win in Zimbabwe: ‘Dream come true’

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was adjudged as Player of the Series for his fantastic performance in Zimbabwe in the three-match series.

Updated on: Jul 26, 2026, 22:15:21 IST

Written by Vishesh Roy

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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has well and truly arrived in international cricket. The left-handed batter on Sunday won the Player of the Match and Player of the Series accolades for the first time for India. The left-handed batter returned with an 81-run knock, and this innings set up the win for the visitors, helping Shreyas Iyer and co whitewash Zimbabwe in the three-match series. After winning both big accolades, Sooryavanshi kept it real, saying it all feels like a dream-come-true moment for him. He also added that it always feels special to contribute to the team's cause.

India's Vaibhav Sooryavanshi watches the ball after playing a shot. (AFP)

The left-handed Sooryavanshi got off to a poor start in international cricket, returning with three poor scores in the series against England. However, Harare has been a solid hunting ground for the youngster, and the venue brought him luck for the series against Zimbabwe. In the three-match series, Sooryavanshi returned with 151 runs, including two half-centuries.

“I feel very good because the preparations were nice. I played the Under-19 WC here and got support from the coaching staff. I really like playing here,” said Sooryavanshi.

“I like to follow my instincts. I was just trying to give the team a good start and then build on it from there. I like to do what I do in the practice sessions. It is like a dream-come-true moment. First Player of the Match and Player of the Series award for me, it feels really good," he added.

Also Read: IND vs ZIM LIVE Score, 3rd T20I

Sooryavanshi first hit a half-century in the series opener, and then backed it up with a ton in the third and final T20I. The swashbuckling Indian opening batter brought up his fifty off 31 balls in the final match of the series. As soon as he got to the milestone, Sooryavanshi decided to change gears and take the Zimbabwe bowlers to the cleaners. However, he missed out on a century and was dismissed for 81 off 49 balls.

Earlier, Sooryavanshi was named in the squads for the Ireland, England and Zimbabwe series on the back of a solid Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season for the Rajasthan Royals, where he scored 776 runs. He won multiple awards, including the Super Striker and Most Valuable Player. He also finished as the leading run-getter, ahead of the likes of Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli.

It is important to note that Harare is the same ground where Sooryavanshi smashed 175 runs in the U19 World Cup final against England earlier this year.

All about the third T20I

In the third and final T20I, India captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to bat. The visitors made two changes to their playing XI, bringing in Suryansh Shedge and Ashok Sharma in place of Shivam Dube and the injured Prince Yadav.

India posted 192/5 in 20 overs owing to Sooryavanshi's whirlwind knock. In the end, Zimbabwe failed to chase down the total, losing the contest by 35 runs.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vishesh Roy
Vishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket. He began his career at Asian News International (ANI), where he covered a range of high-profile events, including the India Open, Legends Cricket League, the England–India Test series in Ahmedabad in 2021, and the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Stadium. During his tenure at ANI, he also reported extensively on domestic cricket, covering several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country. While cricket remains his primary beat, Vishesh has also reported on tennis, football and WWE. After a stint of over three years at ANI, Vishesh moved to NDTV, where he gained hands-on experience in digital-first journalism, with a particular emphasis on live blogs and real-time news reporting. He joined Hindustan Times in October 2024 and quickly established himself with a series of exclusive interviews and source-driven stories. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Hindustan Times was the first to report that the two-day event would be held in Saudi Arabia. In the early months of his tenure, Vishesh secured interviews with leading cricketers, including Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rashid Latif. He has also closely tracked the rise of emerging talents such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya by speaking to their current and childhood coaches. His background in on-field reporting has helped Hindustan Times Digital break exclusive stories on major developments, including Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, IPL scheduling, and the T20 World Cup controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.Read More

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