India vs Zimbabwe T20 World Cup 2026 Highlights: Suryakumar Yadav's men keep semifinal hopes alive with 72-run win

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Hardik Pandya: Pretty happy. I mean, yeah, it sounds strange 23-ball 50, but I think I had to reassess in the situation as well. What I meant by that, I felt I was trying to hit too hard. And just in the game, I realized, I think I can time the ball and hit sixes as well. So I think for me, it was a good game to continue the rhythm because I feel a couple of games I had which I could not do what I wanted to do. So really satisfied. Obviously, South Africa played (when asked if he was following the earlier game between South Africa and West Indies) that South Africa and West Indies game was, we all were keeping an eye. You know, now it’s all about playing good cricket, backing your skill set, you know, kind of absorbing the pressure and, making sure that you put the best foot forward. So yeah, definitely we were keeping an eye, but at the same point of time, once the game got over, we focused that this is our game. We need to focus on this. Pretty good (Talking about his bowling). I think I like bowling with a new ball. It swings. I mean, God has been kind. I have the skillset of bowling in swing, out swing both. So I really enjoy. I think it gives me the opportunity to take wickets as well. It challenges the batter as well. So yeah, pretty satisfied. I still have to bowl my one over, which I’m going to go after this.

For India to qualify for the semifinals, the Men in Blue need just a win against West Indies to join South Africa in the last four. For West Indies, they need to beat India or a no result will also do.

With this win, India now have 2 points from two games, the same as West Indies. South Africa have four points from two games and becomes the second team to qualify for the semifinals. Zimbabwe are out of the semifinal contention.

Brian Bennett finishes the gam with a six and a four off Shivam Dube but gets stranded on 97 not out as Zimbabwe reach 184/6 in 20 overs in reply to India's 256/4.

CLEANED'UP!!!! Arshdeep Singh cleans up Tony Munyonga as India slowly cruise towards a victory. With this win, both India and West Indies will have 2 points each. That means India vs West Indies on March 1 will be a virtual quarterfinal. South Africa already have four points from two matches. ZIM 164/5

OUTTT!!!! Finally, the Indians find some success with the ball. Sikander Raza looks to go over long on but Arshdeep Singh was at the right place to take the catch. Raza goes back for 21-ball 31. OUTTT!!! Arshdeep strikes again, traps Ryan Burl for a duck. Tony Munyonga finishes the over with a couple of boundaries.

ZIM 152/4 (17)

Brian Bennett is having a game of his life in Chennai. The Zimbabwean opener goes 6, 4, 4 in consecutive deliveries of Shivam Dube to leave the Indians frustrating. Bennett finishes the over with a six over deep extra cover. 26 runs come from the over.

ZIM 131-2 (15)

SMOOOKKEDDD!!! Brian Bennet brings up his half-century with a huge six off Jasprit Bumrah. The Indian pacer bangs short and Bennett goes backwards to slap it for a six. This is his third of the tournament. ZIM 97/2 (13)

OUTTT!!! After Axar Patel, its Varun Chakaravarthy who strikes. Dion Myers goes for a biggie, gets a top edge and Tilak Varma takes the catch from deep midwicket. ZIM 73/2 (10)

OOOUTTT!! Axar Patel is brought into the attack and the left-arm spinner strikes straightaway. Tadiwanashe Marumani goes on the backfoot and slices but it goes straight to Ishan Kishan at cover-point. Huge breathrough for India. ZIM 48/1 (7)

Tadiwanashe Marumani right on the money. Varun Chakaravarthy is brought into the attack and Marumani welcomes the Indian spinner with a reverse hit for a six over deep backward point. DROOPEDDD!!! Marumani goes big once again, gets a top edge on for substitute Rinku Singh, who was running backwards to give the batter a life. ZIM 44/0 (6)

Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani walk out to bat for Zimbabwe. Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya have kept things tight so far. For India, the hosts would try to bowl Zimbabwe out at soon as possible with NRR into play. ZIM 25-0 (4)

Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma's partnership of 80-plus runs take India to 256/ 4 in 20 overs. Hardik Pandya gets to his fifty with a final ball six. Blows a kiss to girlfriend Mahieka Sharma in celebration. This is second time Zimbabwe has conceded in excess of 250 runs in this event. West Indies scored 254/6 against Zimbabwe the other day. Zimbabwe need 257 runs to win.

It's gone many a mile into the ground. Can India record the highest ever total in a T20 World Cup ? The highest record is still with Sri Lanka. IND 241/4 (19)

Blessing Muzarabani comes in to bowl his final over as Hardik Pandya welcomes him with a six. With six wickets to go, India should go all out in the final deliveries. FOURRR!!! Tilak Varma makes some room, and slices the full toss over backward point. BANGGG!!! Tilak does Tilak things, smashes over long on for a maximum. This is also India's highest score in T20 World Cups. IND 220-4 (18)

200 comes up for India for the first time in this T20 World Cup in style. Tilak Varma waits for the ball, and lofts the fuller delivery wide of the off-side for a six over extra cover. Can India score past 30 or more in the final three overs? IND 201/3 (17)

OUTTT!!!! Richard Ngarava is back into the attack and strikes for Zimbabwe. After being smashed for a six in the over, Ngarava goes round the wicket this to give a breakthrough. India captain Suryakumar Yadav tries to go over the top, but didn't get the elevation. After dropping three, Tashinga Musekiwa finally takes a catch. Suryakumar goes back for 33 off 13 balls. Tilak Varma walks in. IND 176-4 (15)

India are on course of something big here in Chennai. With seven wickets in hand, and six overs still to go, things are looking to go beyond 200-plus score. Sanju Samson has laid the platform with a 15-ball 24 before Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma steered the run flow. IND 161-3 (14)

Tinotenda Maposa is brought into the attack and the Indian duo of Suryakumar Yadav and Abhishek Sharma treats him in the best possible way. SKY starts with a four and six before Abhishek slams a four. OUTTT!!!! Abhishek goes over the top once again, but didn't get the elevation. Sikander Raza finally gets a wicket. Abhishek walks back for 55 off 30 balls. IND 151/3 (13)

Fifty for Abhishek Sharma in just 26 balls after four failures. The southpaw comes up with his love celebration. Abhishek must be a relieved man now. BANGGG!!! At the other end, Ishan Kishan goes out of the crease for a four and a six. OUTTT!!! He tries to go over the short third man but Richard Ngarava jumps at the right time to take the catch. Kishan is dejected as Sikander Raza celebrates. Kishan goes back for 38 from 24 balls.

IND 120/2 (10.4)

DROOPPED!!! Ishan Kishan goes for a switch hit and it goes straight to Tashinga Musekiwa. The Zimbabwean drops it. Musekiwa had dropped at the same posution twice against West Indies. 100 comes up for India as Abhishek Sharma goes straight down the track in the next ball. IND 109-1 (10)

The run rate has gone down after the arrival of slow bowlers. After Sikander Raza, Brian Bennett concedes just six runs from his first over. India need to find a way to not stop the boundaries coming.

IND 90/1 (8)

Spin is introduced for the first time in this match as Sikander Raza comes to bowl. Tidy start by the Zimbabwe captain as he concedes just four runs. This is the first time less than 10 runs came in an over today. IND 84/1 (7)

Richard Ngarava returns to bowl the final over of the powerplay with a full toss and Ishan Kishan welcomes him with a four. Kishan goes early in his shot and just has to open his face of the bat to see the ball through to the fine leg boundary. Four more to India and Kishan in the same spot. BANGGG!!! Abhishek Sharma ends the powerplay with a flat maximum over long on. IND 80-1 (6)

Things are coming to place for Abhishek Sharma. The left-hander swings hits it over cow corner for a 80-metre six off Brad Evans. Four more to Sharma, this time an inside edge for a boundary towards fine leg. Lucky escape. IND 63/1 (5)

The 23 runs conceded by Tinotenda Maposa is the second most by a bowler in his first over in T20 World Cups. Maposa is playing his first-ever T20 World Cup match today. The record for most is being held by Kenya's Steve Tikolo when he conceded 25 in his only over in the T20 Word Cup in 2007 against Sri Lanka.

OUTTT!!!! Blessing Muzarabani strikes. The slower ball does the trick for Muzarabani as he bangs it short and Sanju Samson pulls But he didn't get the elevation right for Ryan Burl to take the catch. Ishan Kishan comes out to bat. IND 48/1 (3.4)

Tinotenda Maposa is brought into the attack. Three overs three different bowlers for Zimbabwe. Looks like Abhishek Sharma is getting his mojo back with two boundaries in the over, both from the middle of his bat. One thing that Abhishek is doing different in this game is, he is waiting for the bowler to release the ball. In the previous games, Abhishek was going after the ball a bit early. HUGEEE from Abhishek. Fuller and wide of off stump, and Abhishek clears his front leg to clear it over long-on. 23 runs come from the over.

IND 46/0 (3)

Blessing Muzarabani shares the new ball. First runs for Abhishek Sharma with a single through the off side. BANGGG!!! It's Sanju Samson once again as goes to the backfoot to pull Muzarabani over wide of long on for a six. The CSK fans must be very happy.

IND 23-0 (2)

Nationan Anthems done. Its time for action. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma walk out to bat. Richard Ngarava will open the attack for Zimbabwe. BANGGGG!!!! Samson starts with a six off the second ball of the match. 4 leg byes to follow.

IND 13-0 (1)

Sikander Raza: We're going to have a bowl. Not your usual Chennai wicket. Looks moist, want to give the best chance to the seamers. If we can restrict India to a low total, will go a long way. As much as we're feeling the heat, our opposition will be feeling the same. It's holding on alright. One tactical change, Cremer misses out, Tinotenda Maposa comes in.

Suryakumar Yadav: Happy with the decision, were looking to bat first. Boys are ready. Mood in the camp is relaxed. The way he spoke in the huddle (Hardik), experienced player, he knows what he brings to the table. Team required that and I think we'll have a good day tonight. Even if you win or lose, you learn something out of it. Just forget what happened in the last game. Play the same way as you've been playing last whole year. Enjoy the game and forget everything. Be fearless. Two changes: Axar comes in for Washington, Samson comes in for Rinku. Sanju will keep.

Time for the toss in Chennai. Suryakumar Yadav and Sikander Raza walk out for the toss. Zimbabwe have won the toss and opt to bowl. India make two changes as Sanju Samson and Axar Patel come in for Rinku Singh and Washington Sundar. Samson will keep the wickets.

Abhishek Sharma has struggled in this T20 World Cup. After three consecutive ducks, Abhishek scored 15. Former captain Harbhajan Singh and Suresh Raina advised the youngster to spend some time in the middle before calling his shots.

Rinku Singh, who had left the camp to be by his ailing father, has returned. Although he is doing a lot of catching drills, it is unlikely that the left hander will play. At the same time Washington Sundar is also bowling. With Sanju Samson coming in, he will open the innings with Abhishek Sharma, while Ishan Kishan comes down at no.3. Tilak Varma is expected to bat at no.5.

India need to win both of their remaining games by big margins. Also South Africa's win over West Indies will give India some relief. Here's how India can seal a semifinal spot after the loss to South Africa. As of now, South Africa have taken a step further after winning against West Indies by nine wickets. That will have a huge NRR effect on West Indies.

According to a report in The Indian Express, India are certain to make two changes in Chennai as Sanju Samson and Axar Patel are expected to make the playing XI. Axar, who is the vice-captain of the side, was benched against South Africa as Washington Sundar was given a chance. Meanwhile, with Abhishek Sharma failing to deliver at the top, Samson will be given a chance. It will be interesting to see where Abhishek and Samson bat. Rinku Singh and Sundar are likely to sit out.

This is the first time Zimbabwe are playing a T20I on Indian soil. In all the 13 games so far, only one game took place in Melbourne during the 2022 T20 World Cup, while the were played in Harare. India's loss against Zimbabwe came in 2015, 2016 and 2024.

India enjoy a heavy 7-2 head-to-head advantage in the shortest format of the game. Two games ended in ties. Notably, India and Zimbabwe have never faced in a match of T20 World Cup.

The India vs Zimbabwe will be televised on Star Sports channels from 7 PM IST. Live streaming of India vs Zimbabwe will be available on JioStar app and website.

It's a must-win situation for both India and Zimbabwe in Chennai today. India are coming into this game after losing to South Africa while Zimbabwe were humiliated by West Indies. A win will keep both the teams alive or it's time to say good bye.

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the India vs Zimbabwe clash in the Super 8 stage in Chennai