India dominated Zimbabwe by 72 runs on Thursday to stay in contention for the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The commanding win in Chennai also eliminated Zimbabwe from the tournament, intensifying the battle for the final semi-final spot in Group One.
India Post Tournament-High Total
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza won the toss and chose to field, giving India the perfect opportunity to launch an aggressive batting display. India responded by posting a tournament-high 256 for four in their 20 overs, the highest total of the 2026 edition.
Early contributions from Sanju Samson (24), Abhishek Sharma (55), and Ishan Kishan (38) set the pace, while captain Suryakumar Yadav added a steady 33 to maintain pressure on Zimbabwe’s bowlers.
The late overs produced fireworks, with Hardik Pandya blasting an unbeaten 50 off 23 balls and Tilak Varma scoring 44 not out from just 16 deliveries. India plundered 80 runs in the final five overs and hit 17 sixes, finishing with a stunning run rate of 12.80.
Zimbabwe Fight but Fall Short
Zimbabwe started their chase steadily, but the scoreboard pressure mounted quickly. Brian Bennett played a composed unbeaten 97, while Raza added 31 and Wesley Madhevere contributed 20. The rest of the lineup failed to make an impact.
India’s bowlers controlled the match, with Arshdeep Singh taking three wickets, and Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakravarthy claiming one each. Pandya earned Player of the Match for his explosive all-round display.
With the win, India remain in the semi-final race. South Africa have already qualified from Group One, and the final semi-finalist will be decided when West Indies face India on Sunday.
