You know, if you landed in Meenambakkam today, you probably wouldn’t even realize that the World Cup is on. No massive Suryakumar Yadav billboards greet you, and you won’t find a giant cut-out of Sanju Samson staring you down Anna Salai’s final, sticky stretch.
Chennai is not a city that always fulfills its passion for cameras. But don’t let the lack of bunting fool you; the obsession here can be felt in the humidity and heard in the wild debates over filtered coffee. On Thursday, the quiet anticipation will explode. The roads leading to Chepauk dissolve into a shimmering blue sea as the knowledgeable Chennai crowd make their pilgrimage.
India will take on Zimbabwe in their World Cup T20 Super 8 match in Chennai at 7 PM IST. The match will be telecast on Star Sports and streamed live on JioHotstar.
Chennai has a reputation for appreciating the artistry of visiting sides and this T20 World Cup was no exception. But this week the spirit is different; the city will roar exclusively for the home side, knowing the Men in Blue are gasping for breath.
We all got to watch the World Cup blockbuster in India and Australia for the second time in a row, thanks to the debatable pre-setting of the ICC. But Zimbabwe tore up the script as they knocked out the Aussies in Sri Lanka.
The city may have been denied the glamor tie, but the local faithful understand the gravity of the situation. Along Bells Road and Wallajah Road, sandwiched between filter coffee stalls and the spicy heat of Triplicane’s biryani pots, the air is thick with whispers of permutations and combinations. There is a sobering realization that the Indian campaign could be mathematically snuffed out before they even get on guard; West Indies Vs Match Result South Africa will dictate their fate earlier in the day. (More about it here.)
That 76 runs against South Africa in Ahmedabad on Sunday damaged India’s pride and sent their Net Run Rate off a cliff. Now, after that shock in the west, the team is looking for a foothold in the dark, abrasive clay of Chepauk.
CHEPAUK TWIST
Here’s the twist. We always imagined Chepauk as a lion’s den for spinners, a dark, revolving trap. But this World Cup turned that story upside down. The Marin breeze brought with it a decent batting surface. Surprisingly, Chennai produced the lowest bowling average for spin and the highest batting average of any venue in the tournament.
For India’s top order, which looked a little shaky against the spinning ball, this statistical joke could not have come at a better time. While other venues around the country offered two-pace challenges, Chepauk rewarded pure stroke play. It’s a funny old game. A place that once feared exposing weaknesses would now allow India to lean on their strengths. Chepauk could be a surface that allows India’s big hitters to play with freedom rather than caution.
After the heartbreak in Ahmedabad, everyone hopes that the climb back begins here in the sultry heart of the south.
Zimbabwe, who stunned Sri Lanka and Australia on spin-friendly pitches in Colombo, struggled to find a rhythm with both bat and ball during their 107-run defeat of the West Indies in Mumbai. Sikandar Raza’s men now face another stern inspection on a surface that promises runs.
IND vs ZIM: HEAD-TO-HEAD
India and Zimbabwe have met 13 times in T20Is, with India winning 10 of them. Thursday’s encounter will be their first meeting in India in the format.
CHENNAI: RANGE AND TERMS
A black clay pitch will be used and is expected to be a real surface. The match will be played on the center lane. Zimbabwe, who endured the punishment of short boundaries when they conceded 254 to West Indies in Mumbai, will welcome more balanced dimensions in Chennai. However, the newly built course is lightning fast and offers full value for the shots.
MA Chidambaram Stadium was the batting venue in this tournament. The batting average here is 32, almost eight runs more than second-best Ahmedabad.
The teams have been bowled over 170 in each of the six matches played here so far. The first innings scores of the two evening matches were 200 and 196 respectively.
Dew is unlikely to play a major role at this time of year in Chennai and no weather disruptions are expected.
IND vs ZIM: TEAM NEWS
India face a major selection decision heading into this crucial match. They may consider introducing a right-hander at the top after opponents have repeatedly targeted their top-order left-hander and heavy with partial off-spin.
The off-spinners, most of them part-timers, took 12 wickets against India in five matches, revealing a pattern Zimbabwe will be keen to exploit.
“I won’t give away too many secrets about how we will approach tomorrow, but what you said is spot on and we are aware of it,” Zimbabwe all-rounder Ryan Burl said on the eve of the match when asked about India’s struggle against spin.
It was no surprise that the Zimbabwean pullers had a long training session at the nets. Captain Raza was even suggesting Muzarabani, a 6ft 8in pacer, to try some cutters.
Indian batting coach Sitanshu Kotak hinted at the return of Sanju Samson to the beginning of the order. Abhishek Sharma has endured a lean ride but the team management is expected to back the T20I world number one to rediscover form. Ishan Kishan could return to No.3, the position in which he scored a century against New Zealand last month.
Rinku Singh, who traveled home to visit his ailing father, remains in doubt. It will be interesting to see if India use Tilak Varma as a floater, although keeping in-form Suryakumar Yadav at No.4 remains the logical choice.
Vice-captain Axar Patel is expected to replace Washington Sundar.
For Zimbabwe, captain Sikandar Raza is fully fit after recovering from the knock on his hand he suffered against the West Indies.
Zimbabwe pace forward Blessing Muzarabani has looked sharp in the nets and will be central to their plans alongside Richard Ngarawa. They also have variety in their spin attack and will be hoping that the experience of Graeme Cremer and the ingenuity of Raza can make a bigger impact after a difficult outing in Mumbai.
Watch out for Brian Bennett and Tadiwanash Marumani, who have been fire and ice at the top of the order. India will be wary of Bennett’s class and Marumani’s fearless approach.
INDIA XI: Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy.
ZIMBWE XI: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Dion Myers, Ryan Burl, Sikandar Raza (capt), Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Graeme Cremer, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani.
QUOTE CORNER
Indian batting coach Sitanshu Kotak:
“Firstly, I don’t think we will struggle on the black pitch. The slower innings in T20 cricket can be very slow and that makes it difficult for any team. But I don’t think the wickets will be that slow. The wicket here is looking good for scoring as well.”
Zimbabwe all-rounder Ryan Burl:
“To be honest, I think we can only take positives from that defeat to the West Indies. It sounds strange, but we really haven’t had a bad game up to that point. There are huge lessons to be learned. India also had a tough game against South Africa, so both teams want to respond. There’s no better place to do it than here.”
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– The end
Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
February 26, 2026
