Brief Scores: 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 SUPER 8s: MAIN | SCORECARD
When you have the Avengers, why rely on a single superhero? That was the crucial lesson India finally seemed to learn on Thursday. India, guilty of over-aggressiveness earlier in the tournament, found their Goldilocks zone in Chennai’s steamy coastal heat, reaching a new high and systematically dismantling Zimbabwe’s resolve.
Plundering 256, the second-highest total in T20 World Cup history, India cruised to a comprehensive 72-run victory. The result gave them their first win of the Super 8 stage and kept them firmly in the hunt for a semi-final berth.
The equation is now simple: India’s clinical display secures a virtual quarter-final against the West Indies in Kolkata on Sunday. Earlier in the day in Ahmedabad, a demolition of the Windies in South Africa secured the Proteas a place in the final four. Zimbabwe, meanwhile, are out of contention after back-to-back Super 8 losses – a far cry from their perfect run in the group stage in Sri Lanka.
Statement of Intent at Chepauk
Just days after conceding 254 to the West Indies in Mumbai, Zimbabwe ran headlong into an Indian side desperate to recalibrate. After their own bruising at the hands of South Africa, India arrived at the MA Chidambaram Stadium with a goal to prove.
The humidity may have been thick enough to cut with a knife, but India’s batting was razor sharp. Their towering 256 proved an insurmountable mountain; despite a composed and skilful 97 off 59 balls from 22-year-old Brian Bennett,
Zimbabwe never came close to surpassing this Himalayan target. Although the sea breeze failed to provide relief to the fielding side, India refused to let their intensity drop. Captain Suryakumar Yadav kept his cool even as Bennett and skipper Sikandar Raza added 72 for the third wicket in just 41 balls. Zimbabwe paid the price for taking too long despite knowing they were not running a marathon but attempting an almost impossible sprint.
Arshdeep Singh was the pick of the Indian bowlers, claiming three wickets, including the crucial scalp of Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza.
Avengers Assemble: The Sum Greater Than Its Parts
India have now crossed the 250-run mark five times in T20Is, but Thursday was the first time they reached such heights without an individual century. It was a real ensemble performance. Half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma (55 off 30) and Hardik Pandya (50 off 23)* provided the backbone, supported by three crucial contributions in excess of 30: Suryakumar Yadav (33 off 13), Ishan Kishan (38 off 24) and a pulsating new 44 off 18 from India. A print from India.
Sanju Samson’s 15-ball 24 was equally sacrificial. Restored to the opening slot to break the left-arm trio – a tactical adjustment to counter the off-spin threat that has stifled India in recent games – Samson absorbed the initial risk and allowed Abhishek breathing room to find his rhythm.
Remarkably, every Indian batsman batted at a rate above 150. Tilak Varma, batting at No. 5 for only the seventh time in his T20I career, showed his versatility by excelling in the finisher’s role, scoring a stunning 275. His ball-striking was so clean – yielding four towering sixes and King Shiva’s sixes from three boundaries – the resident six-hitting machines were not even required to satisfying the partisan crowd.
Relief from Chepauk’s competition
India secured a narrow victory as the ball rolled. As fans lined up along Chennai’s coastal roads and packed into the iconic stands of the refurbished Chepauk, all eyes were glued to their mobile screens. News of West Indies’ defeat against South Africa in Ahmedabad seeped through, brightening India’s path to the semi-finals considerably.
The atmosphere in the city was not the pressure cooker many would have expected after Sunday’s 76-run defeat to the Proteas. By producing their ‘A’ game against a West Indian side that looked a shadow of its destructive self, South Africa did India a considerable favor and eased the tension even before the hosts took to the pitch to the roar of the Chennai faithful.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
26 Feb 2026 22:58 IST
