India’s Hardik Pandya performs a shot through the 2026 ICC Males’s T20 Cricket World Cup Tremendous Eights match between India and Zimbabwe. Photograph: AFP
CHENNAI:
India revived their T20 World Cup marketing campaign with their “fearless” model of cricket forward of a winner-takes-all decider towards the West Indies for the final semi-final berth.
Scorching favourites to defend their title on residence soil, India thrashed Zimbabwe by 72 runs in Chennai on Thursday to bounce again from their heavy defeat towards South Africa of their Tremendous Eights opener.
India’s batting, led by opener Abhishek Sharma’s blistering 55, and an unbeaten 50 by Hardik Pandya, piled up 256-4, the second-highest whole within the historical past of the match.
In a brutal present of energy hitting, the Indian batters demolished the opposition bowling with 17 sixes and 17 fours on the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.
India face the West Indies, who went all the way down to South Africa by 9 wickets, in Kolkata on Sunday to resolve the second semi-finalist from Group 1.
“We wish to play the fearless cricket, the model of cricket we performed right now and we performed since final yr,” batter Tilak Varma stated.
“The identical intent we wish to maintain within the subsequent recreation as effectively. And going forward within the match, we take the identical depth (ahead).”
The left-handed Varma hit a 19-ball 44 as he put collectively an unbeaten 84-run stand with Pandya, who capped off the innings with two sixes to lift his fifty.
All of it got here collectively for India after they rejigged their opening mixture with the return of Sanju Samson, who handed the group a fast begin together with his 24 off 15 balls.
The left-handed Abhishek hit type together with his first T20 World Cup fifty after he struggled within the match with three geese in 4 innings.
“It’s necessary when the openers give us a superb begin, the identical confidence follows to quantity three, 4 and 5,” stated Varma.
“And we mentioned that regardless of the scenario is, (even) if we lose three-four wickets in powerplay, we’ll bat with the identical rhythm,” he added.
“And we wish to present the worry in opposition bowlers, that these guys are able to hit each ball.”
‘Hold that depth’
India, the world’s top-ranked T20 group, got here into the World Cup on the again of big totals in bilateral contests, and have been tipped to cross the 300-run mark on the match.
However their batting had appeared fragile and was typically uncovered, together with by minnows america, who diminished them to 77-6 of their opener.
Varma stays cautious of his group’s plans towards the West Indies, who posted 254-6 towards Zimbabwe of their Tremendous Eights opener.
“So if the wicket is just not good, then we’ll modify, and we’ll maintain that depth on,” stated Varma.
“I might not say we wish to rating greater than 250 — but when we get a superb begin, then after all we’ll go for it.”
The Indian bowling has appeared good.
On Thursday, left-arm fast Arshdeep Singh returned figures of 3-24 to restrict Zimbabwe to 184-6.
He surpassed senior paceman Jasprit Bumrah because the main bowler for India on the T20 World Cup with 35 wickets to Bumrah’s 33.
“We’ve got been doing effectively for the previous couple of years, so even after a blip or a defeat, the assumption of the group was there,” Arshdeep advised reporters.
“We knew we simply have to return and comply with our processes, and the outcome will come our means. So the thought was quite simple and we’re having fun with it.”
The 2024 champions have the load of historical past towards them. No group has ever retained the T20 World Cup and no aspect have ever received the trophy on residence soil.
