Chennai, Feb 26: India kept their campaign alive with a commanding 72-run victory over Zimbabwe in a run-fest at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on
Thursday (February 26).
On a surface that defied its traditional spin-friendly tag, the Men in Blue piled up a tournament-best 256/4 in 20 overs before restricting Zimbabwe to 184/6, in a match that produced the second-highest aggregate (440 runs) in T20 World Cup history.
The emphatic win knocked Zimbabwe out of the tournament and set up a virtual knockout between India and West Indies for the final semi-final spot from Group 1.
India Post Tournament's Highest Total
Asked to bat first by Sikandar Raza, India tore into the Zimbabwe attack from the outset. Sanju Samson's brisk 24 provided early impetus, but it was Abhishek Sharma's 55 off 30 balls that laid the foundation. After a lean run in the competition, the left-hander rediscovered his rhythm, attacking the seamers and ensuring India raced through the powerplay.
The momentum continued through the middle overs as Ishan Kishan (38) and Suryakumar Yadav (33) maintained a relentless tempo, keeping the scoring rate above 12 runs per over. Zimbabwe struggled to stem the flow, with even variations failing to disrupt India's timing.
The final act belonged to Hardik Pandya, who smashed an unbeaten 50 off just 23 balls to propel India past the 250-mark. His assault included four towering sixes, including back-to-back maximums in the final over, as India finished with 17 sixes-one of the highest tallies in the tournament. The total of 256 became India's highest in T20 World Cups and the second-highest in the 2026 edition.
Bennett's 97* a Lone Fight
Zimbabwe's chase began in disastrous fashion. Arshdeep Singh (3/24) struck early with swing and discipline, reducing the visitors to a precarious position and effectively ending hopes of a miracle pursuit.
However, 22-year-old Brian Bennett scripted a stunning counterattack. His unbeaten 97 off 59 balls, studded with eight fours and six sixes, was the second-highest individual score against India in T20 World Cups, falling just one run short of Chris Gayle's 98 in 2010. Bennett found brief support from captain Sikandar Raza (31), but the asking rate remained insurmountable.
Zimbabwe finished at 184/6, adding 11 sixes to the match tally, taking the combined total to 28 sixes, the third-most in a T20 World Cup game.
Dube's Expensive Spell the Only Blemish
The spin duo of Varun Chakaravarthy and Axar Patel, expected to exploit Chepauk's traditionally spin-friendly conditions, endured largely quiet outings as the surface offered little assistance. Both finished with identical figures of 1 for 35 in four overs at an economy of 8.80, struggling to impose the control typically associated with their middle-overs role.
Varun's variations lacked the usual deception on a batting-friendly pitch, while Axar, despite maintaining a disciplined length and conceding no boundaries for large phases, was unable to generate breakthroughs to halt Brian Bennett's charge.
Shivam Dube endured a difficult outing, conceding 46 runs in just two overs-the most conceded by a bowler in their first two overs of a T20 World Cup match. His 15th over alone went for 26 runs as Bennett launched a fierce counterattack, and the final over leaked another 20. Despite that late flourish, India's massive total ensured the damage was limited.
What It Means for Group 1
The result reshapes the Super 8 standings:
- South Africa: Qualified
- West Indies: Progress with win or no result vs India
- India: Must beat West Indies to qualify
- Zimbabwe: Eliminated
India's fate now hinges on their final Super 8 clash against the West Indies. A victory would send them to the semi-finals at Eden Gardens on March 1. However, while the batting delivered a statement performance, the late-overs bowling leaks remain an area of concern heading into a high-stakes showdown.
On a night of relentless hitting and record aggregates, India delivered when it mattered most. But the bigger test lies ahead.
