India Crush Zimbabwe by 72 Runs to Set Up Crucial WI Clash in T20 World Cup

India put behind their disappointing outing against South Africa to brush aside Zimbabwe in Chennai, keeping their qualification hopes alive in the ongoing T20 World Cup. The 72-run victory has now set up a virtual quarterfinal clash against West Indies in Kolkata on Sunday (March 1) while also confirming South Africa's place in the semifinal.

India's batters put on a show that everyone's been accustomed to by now as they flayed the hapless Zimbabwean attack to all parts of the ground to register the highest total in the tournament. Sanju Samson returned to the top of the order with India axing Rinku Singh and the former immediately made an impact by hammering two sixes in the opening two overs. Abhishek Sharma, desperately searching for some runs in this tournament, got going as well as the hosts raced to 46/0 in just three overs.

Samson couldn't carry on with his merry ways as he found the fielder in the deep to fall for 24. However, Ishan Kishan, and later Suryakumar Yadav ensured India's rate never dipped. At the other end, Abhishek continued to deal in boundaries as India made 80 in the Powerplay. Zimbabwe's decision to not bring in a spinner inside the Powerplay cost them and they were also sloppy in the field, dropping multiple catches.

Abhishek was finally sent packing after he had gone past fifty but India were well on course to go past 200. Suryakumar's departure hardly made a difference as Tilak Varma came out all guns blazing and put the Zimbabwean attack under the pump alongside Hardik Pandya. India added 80 more runs in the final five overs as a result, with both Tilak and Hardik going berserk.

Blessing Muzarabani was smashed for 19 in the 18th over with both batters hitting a six each and Tilak went on to fetch back-to-back sixes off Richard Ngarava in the penultimate over. To finish the innings on a high, Hardik cleared the ropes off the final two balls to not only guide India past 250 but also help himself to a 23-ball fifty.

Zimbabwe, who were set 255 earlier in the week by West Indies were now asked to chase 257. Only 25 runs came from the first four overs which pretty much signalled their approach towards the daunting target. Brian Bennett, however, looked impressive in parts and even took a liking to Jasprit Bumrah.

Axar Patel, who had replaced Washington Sundar for this match, finally broke the partnership after the Powerplay but got whacked for a couple of sixes by Bennett later on. Once Dion Myers departed, Bennett and Sikandar Raza kept the scorecard moving with timely boundaries but the result was just a mere formality.

Bennett then went past fifty with a terrific six off Bumrah and then went on to take down Shivam Dube in a massive over that cost 26 runs. The 72-run partnership finally came to an end when Arshdeep Singh was brought back into the attack. The pacer went on to add two more wickets to his kitty, nailing his yorkers at the death, whereas Bennett fell agonisingly three runs short of a century as he finished off the game with a six and a four from the final two deliveries. Dube was carted for 46 off his two overs, but it made no difference to a result that was long inevitable.

Brief scores: India 256/4 in 20 overs (Abhishek Sharma 55, Hardik Pandya 50*; Sikandar Raza 1-29) beat Zimbabwe 184/6 in 20 overs (Brian Bennett 97*; Arshdeep Singh 3-24) by 72 runs.