must win t20 world cup 2026 Super 8 clash at MA Chidambaram Stadium, India Came back into the race for the semi-finals with Great win by 72 runs Above zimbabwe After a crushing defeat on February 26, 2026 South AfricaIndia’s batting unit found its rhythm and scored a record-breaking 256/4, the highest score in the history of the T20 World Cup. Zimbabwe chases down target despite valiant effort from lone warrior Brian BennettThe target was never really threatened as India’s bowlers executed their plans with clinical precision.
This win is not only a huge boost to India’s confidence but also marks a significant improvement in their net run rate ahead of the ‘quarterfinal’ clash. west indies. The result has officially ended Zimbabwe’s spirited run in the tournament, keeping India’s dream of winning the title on home soil alive.
Abhishek Sharma and Hardik Pandya take India to 256/4 against Zimbabwe
India’s innings was a sustained display of power-hitting that saw them rewrite the record books by scoring the second highest total in all T20 World Cup history. decision to bring sanju samson Coming back into the XI to open yielded immediate benefits, as he hit two sixes in the opening over to set the frantic pace before falling for 24. Abhishek Sharma He then took center stage and silenced his critics with a blistering 55 off 30 balls, which included four big sixes and set a solid platform at 80/1 in the powerplay.
The pace never slowed down, like Ishan Kishan (38) and Suryakumar Yadav (33) Manipulated the fielding with ease, but the real disaster happened in the last five overs. hardik pandya Scored an unbeaten 50 off just 23 balls and reached his milestone by hitting a six on the last ball. Tilak Verma Scored an equally explosive 44* off 16 balls. Together they scored 80 runs in the death overs, defeating Zimbabwe’s bowlers. Richard Ngarawa And blessings to muzarabani Looking helpless in the face of attack. The total of 256 effectively took Zimbabwe out of the game before the start of the second innings, setting a required run rate of 12.85.
Also read: Team India broke many batting records against Zimbabwe in the T20 World Cup 2026 match.
Brian Bennett’s courageous 97 goes in vain as Arshdeep Singh leads bowling masterclass
Zimbabwe’s huge chase was defined by an extraordinary solo performance from Bennett, who almost scored a miracle century in a losing cause. Bennett was sensational, scoring 97 off 59 balls and was particularly liked Shivam DubeyWhich he scored 26 runs in a single over. However, he did not get any support from the other end Arshdeep Singh Delivered a masterclass in T20 bowling, finishing with figures of 3/24.
Arshdeep’s double strike was removed in the 17th over. Sikandar Raza And Ryan Burl Effectively ending any mathematical hopes of Zimbabwe’s comeback. Akshar Patel And Varun Chakraborty The middle-order provided the necessary pressure, ensuring the run rate remained out of reach despite Bennett’s aggressive stroke-play.
Jasprit Bumrah He also played his part, stifling the openers early on with toe-crushing yorkers that restricted Zimbabwe to 44/0 in the powerplay. Zimbabwe finished their 20 overs at 184/6, a spirited effort but falling 72 runs short of India’s record score. The win ensures that India’s final Super 8 match against West Indies will be a must-win contest for a place in the semi-finals.
Here’s how fans reacted:
Great win for Team India, but Zimbabwe will take a lot of positive things home. The biggest thing is that Brian Bennett is the second highest scorer in the World Cup.
– Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) 26 February 2026
Normal service restored. This is what happened. It was good to see all the batsmen showing form. Set up nicely for Virtual QF vs WI! #INDvZIM #T20WC2026 pic.twitter.com/fP3k0ziQle
– Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) 26 February 2026
Abhi is once again shaking things up. #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/gwgI8K9KCd
– Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) 26 February 2026
A tough bowling line-up awaits – but the team needs outings like this to boost confidence. Especially for Tilak at the top of the order and in that new role. The India phase has not been a fairytale for Zimbabwe when it comes to the ball – the pitches and the shape…
– Jatin Sapru (@jatinsapru) 26 February 2026
Strong performance by Indian batsmen. Of all the innings, India will be most relieved by the return of Abhishek and Tilak who showed their versatility in the middle order.
– Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) 26 February 2026
India is back in the race #ICCMensT20WorldCup
– Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) 26 February 2026
sabaash #TeamIndia You guys did the job as expected, ticked almost all the boxes.
More work can be done on bowling.#INDvsZIM #T20WorldCup26 pic.twitter.com/7q3nezY4O0– Munaf Patel (@munafpa99881129) 26 February 2026
Arshdeep Singh is king
– Prasanna (@prasannalara) 26 February 2026
Zimbabwe is human but not Brian Bennett. What kind of player they have. We hope he gets an IPL deal. If not, the Ílensk Premier League (ÍPL) is scheduled to take place in May.
– Iceland Cricket (@icelandcricket) 26 February 2026
Player of the match: Hardik Pandya 🥇🔥
Pressure situations, perfect reaction#T20WorldCup2026 #hardikpandya #India #T20WorldCup #Cricket pic.twitter.com/rqYupuuYGf
– CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) 26 February 2026
