Harare continued to bring out the best in Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, with the youngster capping another memorable visit to the venue with a career-best score of 81 in the third and final match of the ZIM vs IND T20 2026 series on Sunday.
Unlike the explosive innings that have become his trademark, Sooryavanshi displayed a measured approach on Sunday. He brought up his fifty in 31 balls and then accelerated to 81 off 49 - a knock that included eight fours and four sixes.
The knock helped the Rajasthan Royals opener finish as India's top-scorer in the series with 151 runs, including two half-centuries. He averaged 50.33 in the three matches and struck at a rate of 196.10.
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Vaibhav scored 50 off 19 in the first match at the same venue, becoming the youngest to score a fifty in international cricket at the age of 15 years and 118 days, and followed up with a rapid 20 off 9 in the second match.
For a while, another record looked within reach.
Batting on 81, Sooryavanshi needed 19 more to become the youngest to score an international century across all formats before a superb diving catch by Brad Evans at long-off ended the brilliant knock in the 15th over.
India, who were placed at 145/3 after losing Vaibhav on a slow wicket, finished on 192/5.
Earlier this month, Sooryavanshi became India's youngest men's international cricketer at the age of 15 years and 99 days during his debut against England.
However, he returned with scores of less than 20 in the three matches he played there.
Harare, meanwhile, has proved to be a happy hunting ground for Sooryavanshi.
Earlier this year, he struck a sensational 175 off 80 balls against England in the ICC Under-19 World Cup final at the same venue after blasting 68 against Afghanistan in the semi-finals, helping India lift a record sixth title.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has now hit 85 T20 sixes in 2026, the most by an Indian this year. A record 72 of those sixes came during IPL 2026, where he amassed 776 runs at a staggering strike rate of 237.
