Who is Yash Thakur? Vidarbha pacer making his India debut against Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza won the toss and elected to field against India in the second T20 International on Saturday, as the visitors handed a debut to Vidarbha fast bowler Yash Thakur.Yash replaced Ashok Sharma in the playing XI. Ashok had made his T20I debut in the series opener on July 23 but went wicketless despite bowling his full quota of four overs.India lead the three-match series 1-0 after registering a seven-wicket win in the opening game.Who is Yash Thakur?The 27-year-old fast bowler from Vidarbha earned his maiden India cap after consistent performances in domestic cricket and for India A.Before his international debut, Yash had played 74 T20 matches, taking 110 wickets in 74 innings. He has also featured in 22 Indian Premier League (IPL) matches for Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings, claiming 27 wickets.Yash represented India A in the tri-series in Sri Lanka last month, where he picked up five wickets in three matches. He also played two unofficial Test matches against Sri Lanka A in Galle and took five wickets.The Vidarbha seamer has played 32 first-class matches, taking 93 wickets, and 57 List A games, where he has claimed 90 wickets.Since making his List A debut in 2017, Yash has established himself as one of Vidarbha's leading bowlers across formats. Along with nearly 100 wickets in 57 one-day matches, he has taken 110 wickets in 74 T20s and 27 wickets in 22 IPL appearances, including a five-wicket haul.Before joining Punjab Kings for IPL 2026, Yash made an impact in domestic cricket by finishing as Vidarbha's highest wicket-taker in both the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.