Parag reflected on the special experience of playing alongside Abhishek Sharma

After securing a series victory against Zimbabwe, Indian all-rounder Riyan Parag, who made his international debut in this series, reflected on the special experience of playing alongside his under-19 teammate Abhishek Sharma. He praised skipper Shubman Gill for his leadership throughout the five-match affair, highlighting Mukesh Kumar's pivotal four-wicket haul and Sanju Samson's commanding half-century as India clinched the fifth and final T20I in Harare by 42 runs to seal the series.

In his post-match remarks, Parag emphasised the team's response after an initial loss, noting a poignant moment he shared with Abhishek, his teammate from the 2018 U19 World Cup. They had opened their jerseys together upon receiving them, reminiscing about their journey since their youthful days together.

Discussing his partnership with Rajasthan Royals teammate Sanju Samson, Parag revealed their strategy to replicate their successful batting dynamic from their IPL days, which proved effective given the challenging conditions in Harare.

Speaking about playing under skipper Gill, Parag expressed admiration for Gill's leadership qualities, hailing his captaincy both on and off the field, a relationship that began in under-16 cricket and has continued to flourish.

Despite a less-than-ideal debut performance, following a successful IPL 2024 season with 573 runs for RR, Parag remained optimistic and focused on contributing more effectively in future matches.

India ultimately triumphed 4-1 in the series after Zimbabwe opted to field first upon winning the toss. Despite a shaky start at 40/3, a resilient 65-run partnership between Samson and Parag, bolstered by a quick cameo from Shivam Dube, propelled India to a competitive total of 167/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Blessing Muzarbani's 2/19 led Zimbabwe's bowling effort, while Richard Ngarva, Sikandar Raza, and Brandon Mavuta each claimed a wicket.

Shivam Dube earned the 'Player of the Match' award for his impactful all-round performance, while Washington Sundar, with 28 runs and eight wickets in the series, was named 'Player of the Series'.