Abhishek, Pandya Star As India Hammer Zimbabwe To Set Up A Virtual QF With West Indies

IND vs ZIM match report [Source: @BCCI/x.com]

India trounced Zimbabwe by 72 runs in a night that belonged entirely to the Men in Blue, as Chepauk witnessed a ruthless all-round show that left the visitors chasing shadows. After posting a colossal total with the bat, India never took their foot off the pedal.

Despite Brian Bennett’s lone resistance, Zimbabwe were always fighting a losing battle against the clock and the asking rate. With this huge win, India have set up a virtual quarterfinal against West Indies on Sunday at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

Here's a look at IND vs ZIM highlights.

Abhishek’s fireworks and Hardik–Tilak blitz take India to 256

After Zimbabwe chose to field first, they must have expected a competitive total. What they got instead was a full-blown batting hurricane. India unleashed absolute carnage and piled up a monstrous 256/4 in their 20 overs, leaving the bowlers gasping and the scoreboard in overdrive.

Sanju Samson got the engine running with a brisk 24, but once Abhishek Sharma found his rhythm, the game slipped out of Zimbabwe’s hands. The left-hander went after the bowling like there was no tomorrow.

He smashed 55 off just 30 balls and made the powerplay look like a net session. Sixes sailed into the stands and boundaries flowed freely. His fifty came in just 26 balls and India were already flying at full speed.

Ishan Kishan kept the tempo high with a smooth 38 off 24 balls. He rotated strike smartly and punished anything loose. By the time he departed, India had already crossed the 100-run mark and Zimbabwe were on the ropes.

Suryakumar Yadav added more spice with a blistering 33 off 13 balls before Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma took things to another level. The duo went full beast mode in the death overs.

Hardik hammered an unbeaten 50* off 23 balls while Tilak smashed 44* off just 16. They toyed with the bowling and powered India to the second-highest total in T20 World Cup history.

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Brian Bennett fights lone battle but Zimbabwe fall miles behind

Zimbabwe got off to a steady start with Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani trying to keep things under control early on. The pair added 44 runs for the opening wicket but the scoring rate never quite matched the steep asking rate. Marumani managed 20 before falling to Axar Patel, and from that point Zimbabwe were always playing catch-up.

Bennett, however, refused to back down and played a counterattacking innings filled with intent. He brought up a well-made fifty and kept the boundaries coming, eventually finishing unbeaten on 97 off 59 balls with eight fours and six sixes. It was a brave knock in a chase that had already slipped out of reach.

Skipper Sikandar Raza provided some resistance with a quick 31 off 21 balls and stitched a 72-run partnership with Bennett that helped Zimbabwe near the 150-run mark. But the massive target meant the required rate stayed sky high and the pressure never shifted back onto India.

Arshdeep Singh delivered a clinical spell at the death, picking up three wickets and shutting the door on any late surge. Supported well by Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel in the middle overs, India kept Zimbabwe firmly under control as they cruised to a comprehensive 72-run victory.

Also Read- Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma Go Ballistic As India Register Highest-Ever T20 World Cup Total