India have made one change to their playing XI for the second T20I against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday (July 25). Fast bowler Yash Thakur has been brought into the side in place of Ashok Sharma.
Ashok made his T20I debut in the opening match of the series on July 23 but went wicketless despite bowling his full four-over spell.
Yash, 27, comes into the match with plenty of experience in the shortest format. Before his international debut, he had played 74 T20 matches and taken 110 wickets.
He has also featured in 22 Indian Premier League (IPL) games for Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings, picking up 27 wickets.
Last month, Yash represented India A in the tri-series in Sri Lanka, where he claimed five wickets in three matches. He also played two unofficial Tests against Sri Lanka A in Galle and finished with five wickets across those games.
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The Vidarbha pacer has built a strong domestic record as well. He has played 32 first-class matches, taking 93 wickets, and has claimed 90 wickets in 57 List A games.
Yash Thakur's bowling records
| FORMAT | MATCHES | WICKETS | BEST FIGURES (INNINGS) | BEST FIGURES (MATCHES) | ECONOMY | 5-WKT HAULS | 10-WKT HAULS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Class | 32 | 93 | 5/44 | 6/50 | 3.34 | 1 | 0 |
| List A | 57 | 90 | 5/53 | 5/53 | 5.40 | 1 | 0 |
| T20s | 74 | 110 | 5/16 | 5/16 | 8.17 | 2 | 0 |
| IPL | 22 | 27 | 4/30 | 5/30 | 10.59 | 1 | 0 |
India to bat first
India will bat first in the second T20I after Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza won the toss and chose to bowl in the must-win contest for the hosts at the Harare Sports Club.
Zimbabwe have gone in with the same playing XI that featured in the first T20I, while India's only change is the inclusion of Yash Thakur in place of Ashok Sharma.
India started the series with a seven-wicket win on Thursday. Another victory in the second T20I would give the visitors an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.