The Indian men’s cricket team is set to play a three-match T20 series against Zimbabwe in July this year. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the schedule on Wednesday, in which the matches will be played on July 23, 25 and 26.

The opening match of the Zimbabwe tour is scheduled just four days after India plays the final match of the England tour. White-ball teams will travel to England in July for five T20Is and three ODIsThis series will play an important role in preparing the combinations for the ODI World Cup 2027.

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While the ODI and T20I setups are largely different, key players like Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh will remain in both formats. It is believed that Bumrah will not play bilateral T20 matches this season, but this may not apply to players like Axar Patel.

It will also mark India’s return to Zimbabwe after two years. The team last toured the African nation in July 2024, playing a series Abhishek Sharma, Dhruv Jurel and Riyan Parag made their debut for India. With a number of young players expected to be included in the squad for the upcoming tour, the management may reward the Indian Premier League performers.

Zimbabwe tour of India: schedule

First T20 match: 23 July, Harare
Second T20 match: 25 July, Harare
Third T20 match: 26 July, Harare

India tour of England: schedule

First T20 match: 1 July, Durham
2nd T20I: July 4, Manchester
Third T20 match: 7 July, Nottingham
Fourth T20 match: 9 July, Bristol
5th T20I: July 11, Southampton
1st ODI: 14 July, Birmingham
2nd ODI: 16 July, Cardiff
3rd ODI: 19 July, London

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Shreyas Iyer (Photo Credit: IPL)

New Delhi: Punjab Kings may have started their Indian Premier League 2026 campaign with a thrilling win, but captain Shreyas Iyer He faced problems due to slow over-rate during the league match against Gujarat Titans in New Chandigarh on Tuesday.PBKS defeated GT by three wickets in a tense encounter thanks to a brilliant debut performance from Cooper Connolly, who scored an unbeaten 72 off 44 balls. However, disciplinary action was taken after the win, as the IPL confirmed that Iyer was fined Rs 12 lakh for maintaining a slow over-rate – the first such offense in IPL 2026.

Why was Shreyas Iyer fined?

According to the IPL’s official statement, the fine comes under Article 2.22 of the code of conduct, which deals with minimum over-rate offences. Since this was Punjab’s first offense of the season, Iyer was fined Rs 12 lakh.The statement read: “PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer has been fined after his team maintained a slow over-rate during Match No. 4… Since this was his team’s first offense under Article 2.22, he was fined Rs 12 lakh.”Captains are responsible for ensuring that their teams complete overs within the stipulated time, failing which there are penalties – including fines and possible suspension for repeat offences.

Connolly shines in nervous PBKS win

Punjab’s campaign on the field started strongly. Chasing 163, the hosts looked to be in control but a sudden collapse threatened to derail the target. Prasidh Krishna Spread panic by taking three wickets, due to which Punjab’s score reduced from 110/2 to 118/6.However, Connolly remained patient, forming important partnerships and leading the team to victory with five balls to spare. He was chosen player of the match for his consistent innings.Reflecting on the tense finish, Iyer said, “These things happen in the IPL. You have to remain restrained. Cooper was there, calm and composed.”He also praised the young Australian and said, “Cooper has a great mentality… some of the shots he played were real, especially against Rashid.”

Looking forward to the next challengeThe next match will be against Punjab Chennai Super Kings On April 3 at MA Chidambaram Stadium. The five-time champions, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, will be keen to bounce back after their eight-wicket loss to Rajasthan Royals.

Prasidh Krishna’s spell proved to be the defining moment in Gujarat Titans’ clash against Punjab Kings in IPL 2026, as the fast bowler turned an easy target into a tense encounter in Mullanpur. In the 13th over, Prasidh used the rain-affected surface to generate skid and bounce, troubling the PBKS batsmen. His burst led to a collapse at a crucial stage, leading to a change in momentum and bringing Gujarat Titans back in control of a game that had appeared to be slipping away.

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Punjab Kings were playing at 110 for 2 when Prasidh came into the attack and took good control of the target of 163 runs. Due to light rain the conditions had changed a bit and the surface was becoming slick. Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill turned to Prasidh, relying on his ability to hit the deck hard and unsettle the batsmen. The move paid off immediately as the rhythm of the chase was disrupted.

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Skiddy spell changes the game

Prasad’s impact was immediate. Shreyas Iyer is trying to stabilize the innings after a slight injuryPicked up a ball to score but failed to stop it, giving up a simple catch in the deep. The dismissal opened the door, and Prasidh immediately charged through it.

He then took extra bounce to dismiss Shashank Singh, giving the keeper a temporary lead. Marcus Stoinis then fell while trying to counterattack, only to be picked out by a fielder in the deep. In a short time the situation in Punjab went from control to uncertainty.

At 110 for 2, PBKS slipped towards collapse, giving Gujarat Titans a chance to make a comeback in the contest. The earlier flow disappeared as the batsmen were forced to rethink their approach on a surface that was no longer straight.

pressure builds late

What was most important in Prasidh’s magic was his control. He mixed his lengths effectively, used slower balls on the surface and forced the batsmen to generate power rather than rely on timing. On a pitch affected by moisture, this approach proved vital.

The pressure he created continued even in the subsequent overs. Cooper Connolly, who eventually pursuedThe situation had to be handled with caution rather than dominating it. Every boundary came with risk, and every run felt important.

Gill later explained that the decision to stop Prasidh was deliberate, given the slow conditions. The execution matched the plan as Prasidh’s magic ensured Gujarat stayed in the game until the chase.

Punjab Kings eventually crossed the threshold, but the format of the competition had changed. What seemed like a routine chase turned into a nerve-wracking finale, largely shaped by a decisive spell.

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captain of gujarat titans Shubman Gill admitted that he could introduce Prasidh Krishna Before the ball, Punjab Kings chased down the target and won by three wickets in their first IPL match on Tuesday.Gill said after the match, “I could have included Prasidh earlier, but we stayed in the game till the end, there will always be ifs and buts. But he came at the right time, took wickets and kept us in the game till the 17th and 18th overs.”Punjab Kings were led by Cooper Connolly, who scored 72 off 44 balls on debut, helping his team chase 163 with five balls to spare. Prabhsimran Singh scored 37 runs in 24 balls and both added 76 runs for the second wicket.Earlier, Yuzvendra Chahal took 2/28 in four overs to control the middle phase, while Vijaykumar Vaishyak took 3/34, restricting Gujarat Titans to 162/6.For Gujarat Titans, Gill scored 39 runs in 27 balls and Jos Buttler scored 38 runs in 33 balls.Punjab Kings suffered an early blow when Kagiso Rabada dismissed Priyansh Arya while debutant Ashok Sharma was caught at midwicket.After this Connolly and Prabhasimran brought the innings back on track. Rashid Khan later dismissed Prabhsimran, who was caught at long-on.Shreyas Iyer hit two sixes off Ashok Kumar, but soon afterwards he was dismissed by Washington Sundar off the bowling of Prasidh Krishna at deep midwicket.Sundar also dismissed Nehal Wadhera, while Krishna took the wickets of Shashank Singh and marcus stoinis To bring Gujarat Titans back into the match immediately.Krishna was brought into the attack in the 13th over when Punjab needed 53 runs from 48 balls and he dismissed Iyer on his very first ball.Despite the wickets, Connolly held on till the end and hit five sixes and five fours to lead Punjab Kings to victory.“I think we bowled very well, we just didn’t get going (batting) in the last five or six overs, it wasn’t a 200 wicket but if we had 175 it would have been different, but we kept losing wickets and we couldn’t get going in the last five overs,” Gill said.

Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer remained cautious after suffering a hand injury during the first match of IPL 2026 against Gujarat Titans in Mullanpur, even as his team won by three wickets. During the chase, Iyer was hit on the wrist by the ball at the non-striker’s end, causing concern in the dugout as the physio came out to attend to him. Despite obvious discomfort, he continued for a while before being dismissed, while PBKS held on to their courage to complete the tense chase.

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Iyer later offered an update on the injury and chose not to make any definitive claims about his condition. He said, “I would say it’s good. It’s the same as it was before. Don’t want to waste it, hopefully everything will work out.” The cautious tone reflects recent setbacks, with the PBKS captain returning to action after a long-term injury layoff that disrupted his rhythm and match fitness.

PBKS vs GT, IPL 2026: Update | Achievement:

Connolly steps up

Punjab’s victory was helped by debutant Cooper Connolly, who scored 72 runs off 44 balls under pressure. Walking through difficult times, The young Australian combined clean hitting with composure to chase down the target. His ability to choose the initial length and attack quality bowlers was excellent, particularly a backfoot six off Rashid Khan that earned praise from his captain.

“Some of the shots he played were unreal to watch. That backfoot six, hit so cleanly off Rashid Khan, was amazing,” Iyer said. He also credited Connolly’s awareness in chasing the target despite the fall of wickets at the other end.

“I was concentrating on icing the inside of my hand. Then suddenly, we lost two wickets one after the other. These things keep happening in the IPL. You have to stay calm and balanced. Cooper was there, he was well set,” Iyer said.

Earlier, PBKS bowlers had set the stage. Yuzvendra Chahal (2/28) controlled the middle overs effectively, while Vijaykumar Vaish impressed with 3/34. Iyer praised Vishak’s temperament and described him as “a big-match player” who is capable of performing well in crucial moments.

injury concerns will remain

Iyer revealed that Punjab adapted quickly to the conditions after recognizing the nature of the surface. “After the third over, we realized that the wicket was playing slowly. We decided to bowl slower balls into the wicket and bowl the ball early,” he said.

He also noted Gujarat Titans’ aggressive field placements at the start of their innings. “I just told Shubman that this is something I haven’t seen before. But it’s good to see captains being aggressive,” he said.

Punjab Kings now face a quick turnaround, with their next match scheduled to be against Chennai Super Kings on Friday, April 3 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Iyer’s fitness will be closely monitored, especially considering his fitness recent return from spleen injury Last year he was sidelined for almost two months.

Having found some form recently, PBKS will hope that their captain’s latest injury concerns remain minor as they look to find some form early in the tournament.

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Jos Buttler with Yuzvendra Chahal (Image: ANI)

Punjab Kings spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and gujarat titans star jos buttler They shared a light-hearted moment ahead of the IPL 2026 clash in Mullanpur, bringing back memories of their time together Rajasthan Royals. The pair, who went their separate ways after the 2025 mega auction in which Chahal joined PBKS for Rs 18 crore and Buttler joined GT for Rs 15.75 crore, engaged in a playful exchange that instantly caught attention.In a video shared by PBKS, Chahal cheekily claimed that he once caught Buttler with the bat and scored 20 runs in the same over. However, Buttler hit back with a quick reaction.