India Secures Victory Over Zimbabwe in T20 World Cup Clash
India Triumphs Against Zimbabwe in T20 World Cup
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 27: In a thrilling Super Eight match of the ICC Men’s T20I World Cup 2026 held in Chennai, India emerged victorious against Zimbabwe by 72 runs. All-rounder Hardik Pandya expressed satisfaction with the performance, stating it was a great opportunity to maintain their momentum as they aim for a semi-final spot.
Pandya earned the Player of the Match title for his impressive all-round display, scoring a rapid half-century off just 23 balls and conceding only 21 runs in three overs of bowling.
During the post-match presentation, Pandya remarked, “I’m quite pleased. Although it was a 23-ball fifty, I had to reassess my approach. I realized I could time the ball better instead of just trying to hit hard. This match was essential for keeping our rhythm, especially since I felt I hadn’t performed as I wanted in previous games.”
India batted first and set a formidable target, with the top order delivering a strong performance. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson put together a solid 48-run partnership for the first wicket, while Ishan Kishan added a brisk 38 runs off 24 balls, including five boundaries.
Contributions from Suryakumar Yadav (33 off 13 balls) and Abhishek (55 off 30 balls) were crucial, and Tilak Varma (44 not out off 16 balls) alongside Pandya propelled India past the 250-run mark.
When asked about the earlier match between South Africa and West Indies, Pandya noted, “We were all keeping an eye on it. It’s crucial to play well, trust our skills, handle pressure, and focus on our game. Once our match started, we concentrated on our performance.”
Zimbabwe, chasing a challenging target of 257 runs, managed to score 184/6 in their 20 overs, with Brian Bennett remaining unbeaten on 97 runs off 59 balls. Arshdeep Singh was the standout bowler for India, taking three wickets, while Shivam Dube, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Axar Patel each claimed one wicket.
Although Pandya did not take any wickets, he bowled effectively, stating, “I enjoy bowling with the new ball as it swings. I’m grateful for my ability to bowl both inswing and outswing, which challenges the batters and gives me a chance to take wickets.”
Looking ahead, India is set to face the West Indies in their final Super Eight match on Sunday, while Zimbabwe will compete against South Africa in Delhi on the same day.
Brief Scores: India: 256/4 (Abhishek Sharma 55, Hardik Pandya 50*, Blessing Muzarabani 1/43) defeated Zimbabwe: 184/6 in 20 overs (Brian Bennett 97*, Sikandar Raza 31, Arshdeep Singh 3/24).