Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Snubbed! Why Did Mayank Yadav Win Player Of The Match In IND Vs ZIM 1st T20I?

Mayank Yadav was preferred for POTM instead of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi [Source: AP]

India had an extraordinary start to their tour of Zimbabwe, defeating the home side comprehensively in the first T20I. Led by Shreyas Iyer, the Indian team restricted their Zimbabwean opponents to a paltry score of 125 runs in 20 overs. 

In response, the tourists cruised to the target inside 14 overs, as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed a flamboyant knock, becoming the youngest player to score a half-century in international cricket. 

However, despite helping India get off to a flying start, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was ignored for the Player Of The Match award, with Mayank Yadav receiving the honour in the post-match presentation. 

Why Did Mayank Yadav win Player Of The Match instead of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi?

Chasing 126, India had a shaky start to their innings, as experienced opener Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for a sluggish 8-ball 1. 

The pitch at the Harare Sports Club was incredibly challenging for stroke-play, and batters from both teams struggled to get going on a strip that assisted the fast bowlers with a hint of movement and inconsistent bounce. 

Despite losing his opening partner Abhishek Sharma in the third over, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi neutralised the Zimbabwe pace attack with precision. His typical aggressive gameplay unsettled the Zimbabwean bowlers, helping India recover from the early setback. 

However, although Vaibhav Sooryavanshi contributed 50 of 126 runs, Mayank Yadav was chosen for the Player Of The Match award after the game concluded. 

It's worth mentioning that Sooryavanshi definitely showcased his skills to take India home. Still, Mayank Yadav was the one who laid the foundation of India's emphatic win in the first innings.

Making his comeback to the Indian playing XI after two years, Mayank made an immediate impact with the ball. The fast bowler kept things tight right from the start, making it incredibly tough for the Zimbabwe batters to get going in the powerplay. 

His bowling heroics, particularly in the powerplay, earned Mayank the Player Of The Match award. 

Mayank Yadav's impact in powerplay

(Mayank Yadav's stats in powerply in IND vs ZIM 1st T20I)

Statistically, Mayank Yadav bowled three overs on the trot in the powerplay, conceding only ten runs and bagging two crucial wickets. He hit the hard length at a rapid pace consistently, not allowing the Zimbabwe batters to free their arms. 

Mayank began his onslaught in the very first over, dismissing the dangerous Brian Bennett. The right-handed batter's wicket held significant importance for India, considering he had hammered a breathtaking knock against them in the T20 World Cup 2026. 

Mayank Yadav bowled 14 dot balls in his first three overs, keeping the Zimbabwe batters under the pump. After dismissing Bennett in his first delivery, Mayank got the prized scalp of Dion Myers, who recently starred in Zimbabwe's home series against Bangladesh with a valiant 53-ball 73 in the decider. 

Mayank broke the backbone of the Zimbabwean batting unit, as his twin strikes triggered the hosts' batting collapse. Although Ryan Burl, Wesley Madhevere and Tadiwanashe Marumani contributed crucial cameos to the total, Mayank's early strikes made sure Zimbabwe never got going right from the beginning. 

Thus, Mayank actually set the tone for Zimbabwe's sub-par total. His spell took the scoreboard pressure off Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, allowing him to play his natural game and express himself in the powerplay. 

What did Mayank Yadav say after winning Player Of The Match?

Mayank Yadav has had an eventful T20I career. Despite a promising start, the fast bowler missed a lot of cricket due to frequent injury setbacks. Thus, he was relieved after putting up a match-winning performance in his comeback game for India on the Zimbabwe tour. 

"Yeah, it always feels good to contribute for the team in a win. It's a great feeling especially after coming back in blues after a long time. It's a very special moment for me," Mayank Yadav said in the post-match presentation. 

Mayank also revealed how he utilised the seam movement and bounce of the pitch to his advantage and made the most of the pace-friendly conditions at the Harare Sports Club. 

"Ya, the wicket was pretty good. I enjoyed a lot bowling on this wicket. This is the first time I am playing in Zimbabwe. So, it's a great wicket. I was getting good help from the wicket and I kept doing the good things. I think it's the bounce which I got today. The ball was seaming a lot off the wicket, also. I was just hitting the deck and the bounce I was getting was great," he concluded. 

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