Quick Results: India (256/4 in 20 overs) beat Zimbabwe (184/6 in 20 overs) by 72 runs in Chennai in a Super 8 match.
IND vs ZIM T20 WORLD CUP 2026: MAIN | SCORECARD
There are times in a tournament when a player just has to show up. They are not playing the innings of their lives. Just be there, occupy the crease and remind everyone why they belong here. That’s exactly what Abhishek Sharma did against Zimbabwe in Chepauk on Thursday.
He scored 55 off 30 balls as India posted 256 for four, i.etheir highest ever total in T20 World Cups. India won by 72 runs to keep their semi-final hopes alive. But the number that mattered most on the night wasn’t on the scoreboard. It was the sight of Abhishek Sharma looking like himself again.
He tried very hard coming into this game. Ever since I was dealing with a stomach ailmenthe registered three ducks in a row. The pressure was mounting and the questions were getting louder. Right from the first ball on Thursday, however, something seemed different.
It’s a situation that Indian fans have seen before. Virat Kohli starts against South Africa in 2024 T20 World Cup final in Barbados on the back of the tournament to forget. Management still supported him. And when it mattered most, he added.
He held one end, built a partnership and got to his fifty off 48 balls. It wasn’t flashy. This was exactly what India needed.
THE THUMB THAT LISTENED
Abhishek’s innings carried echoes of that Kohli knock in Barbados. He started quietly, pushing his first ball to point for a single. The message from the locker room was clear. Take your time. Choose your moments.
He did just that. He was paired with Sanju Samson, who was brought back into the side to break the left-hander’s cluster at the top. Samson smoked 24 off 15 balls to ease the pressure at the other end. The two put on 48 for the first wicket.
Once Samson left, Abhishek took charge. Sixes were scored by Tinotenda Maposa, Brian Bennett and Richard Ngarava. India reached 80 for one at the end of the powerplay, their second best of the tournament. Abhishek brought up his fifty off just 26 balls with one off Sikandar Raza.
Sunil Gavaskar on the Star Sports post-match show was full of praise. “Throughout the innings, you saw him not coming off the pitch, which he normally tends to do. It showed that he recognized that his form was not great, so he waited for the bowler to release the ball. Then he relied on excellent footwork,” Gavaskar said.
Bat speed was another thing that stood out. Gavaskar noted that Abhishek quickly learned to control his swing against slower deliveries. “He controlled the speed of the bat in such a way that the connection was sweet and the ball stayed in orbit,” he said.
Zimbabwe did not help themselves. They soon contained their spinners, giving Abhishek the breathing space he needed. His innings ended when he skied a Maposa delivery to Raza in the deep. Out for 55 off 30 balls. Chepauk rose to give him a standing ovation. The crowd chanted his name throughout the evening. They knew exactly what the knock meant.
ALL ONLINE IN CALCUTTA
Abhishek built the platform but India was not done. Hardik Pandya hit an unbeaten 50 off just 23 balls. Tilak Varma, who batted at under par 118 in that game, finished unbeaten on 44 off 16 balls at a strike rate of 275. The two added 84 runs for the fifth wicket. India scored 80 runs in the last five overs alone.
In reply, Zimbabwe managed 184 for six. Brian Bennett made 97 off 59 balls but it wasn’t enough. Arshdeep Singh led the bowling with three for 24.
India’s net rate, which fell to -3.800 after the defeat in South Africa, has now recovered to -0.100. South Africa advanced to the semi-finals. India and West Indies will battle it out for the remaining spot at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on March 1.
It’s simple. Win and India are over. Lose or face a washout and they’re out. West Indies currently hold a net run rate of +1.791, which would see them progress if the match were to end.
Kohli showed in Barbados that form is temporary. That’s when the team needed him; found a way. Abhishek Sharma will be hoping that Thursday in Chennai was his moment in Barbados. Calcutta awaits. And this time he will have to do it again.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
27 Feb 2026 06:01 IST
