India Stay In Semifinal Race With Commanding Win Over Zimbabwe In T20 World Cup 2026

India delivered a dominant performance against Zimbabwe in the Super 8 clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. After a setback against South Africa, the Men in Blue responded with a record-breaking batting display. Abhishek Sharma struck a fiery fifty, Hardik Pandya smashed a rapid half-century, and Tilak Varma added crucial runs to power India to 256/4 - the highest total of this World Cup edition.  

Zimbabwe showed resilience, with Brian Bennett scoring a fighting 78 off 49 balls, but India’s bowlers, led by Arshdeep Singh (3/24), restricted them to 184/6. The emphatic win not only kept India’s semifinal hopes alive but also confirmed South Africa’s progression from the group. India now faces West Indies in a virtual semifinal decider.  

Key Highlights  

• India posted 256/4, highest total of T20 World Cup 2026  
• Hardik Pandya and Abhishek Sharma starred with quick fifties  
• Arshdeep Singh impressed with 3/24 in bowling  
• Zimbabwe’s Brian Bennett fought with a 78-run knock  
• India won by 72 runs to stay in semifinal race  

Sources: Mint, The Times of India, Firstpost, Outlook India, International Cricket Council