By Prakash Nair 
Chennai, February 26: There are nights in tournament cricket when everything a team tries seems to land sweetly. Wednesday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai was one of those nights for India.
In a must-win T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 fixture, India didn’t just beat Zimbabwe. They overwhelmed them. A towering 256 for 4, the highest total of this edition, followed by a controlled defence that sealed a 72-run victory. It was emphatic without being reckless, dominant without losing shape.
And yet, when the dust settled, there was a quiet reminder: the job is not done.
When The Intent Was Obvious From Ball One
You could sense India’s mood early. There was no feeling-out period, no cautious nudging. The first over itself carried intent.
Sanju Samson went hard inside the powerplay, carving out 24 at a tempo that signalled the plan. But it was Abhishek Sharma who really shifted the energy. He has had a stop-start tournament, a few scores that promised more than they delivered. This time, he didn’t wait.
He launched into anything remotely in his arc and brought up a crisp 55 off 26 balls, clearing the ropes four times. There was freedom in his strokeplay. No visible baggage from earlier failures. Just clean swings and quick hands.
India were 80 for 1 after six overs, and by then Zimbabwe were already chasing the game.
It is easy to overlook how important those early overs are in T20 cricket. They don’t just add runs. They force the opposition to adjust, to defend earlier than planned, to shuffle bowlers around in search of control. Zimbabwe never quite found it.
The Surge That Broke The Contest
If the powerplay set the platform, the final overs flattened the contest.
At 15 overs, India were well placed. By 20, they were out of sight.
Hardik Pandya has built a reputation for reading moments in T20 cricket. His unbeaten 50 off 23 balls was not wild hitting for the sake of spectacle. It was measured aggression. He targeted specific bowlers, waited for match-ups, and punished errors without overreaching.
Alongside him, Tilak Varma produced one of those cameos that feel longer than they are. 44 not out off 16 balls. Crisp, fearless, and brutally efficient. When he picked up length early and deposited it into the stands, the Zimbabwean shoulders seemed to drop.
The last five overs brought a rush of boundaries, yorkers turned into half-volleys, and a total that kept climbing. When India crossed 250, the murmurs around Chepauk shifted to disbelief.
On most nights, 200 feels safe. On this one, even 240 might have left questions. At 256, the only real suspense was mathematical.
Brian Bennett Refused To Fold
Chasing 257 in a World Cup match can quickly become an exercise in damage control. It did not start that way for Brian Bennett.
He played as though the scoreboard was less intimidating than it looked. There was no slogging panic, no desperation. Instead, he built an innings with surprising poise. He found gaps, rotated strike, and picked his moments to attack.
His unbeaten 97 off 62 balls deserved a fuller stage. At one point, when he tore into Shivam Dube for 26 runs in an over, there was a flicker of intrigue. Not quite belief, but at least tension.
He fell three runs short of a century, stranded as partners came and went. It was a lonely innings in many ways.
Sikandar Raza chipped in with a brisk 31, but once he fell in the middle overs, the chase lost whatever thin thread it was clinging to. The required rate had ballooned beyond control. Zimbabwe’s middle order, under pressure and facing sharp variations, struggled to keep pace.
Bennett’s knock will be remembered. The result, less so.
Bowlers Who Kept Their Nerve
Defending 256 can be tricky. There is always a temptation to chase wickets too hard, to forget that containment matters.
Arshdeep Singh was outstanding. His figures of 3 for 24 do not flatter him. He hit his lengths, mixed his pace cleverly, and produced a double-wicket over that removed Raza and Ryan Burl in quick succession. That passage quietly sealed the match.
In the middle overs, Varun Chakaravarthy did what he does best. He slowed the tempo. His 2 for 28 came without drama but with control. Zimbabwe could not line him up consistently, and every quiet over pushed the equation further out of reach.
Returning to the side, Axar Patel struck with just his second delivery. It was a reminder of how much balance he brings. Tight overs, subtle changes of pace, and that left-arm angle that cramps aggressive hitters.
Even Pandya, who will grab headlines for his batting, contributed with the ball. 0 for 12 in two overs might not scream impact, but in a chase like this, those quiet overs are gold.
The Net Run Rate Cloud
Here is where the story grows complicated.
A 72-run win sounds commanding. In isolation, it is. In the context of the Super 8 table, it is helpful but insufficient.
India needed a much larger margin to leapfrog the West Indies on net run rate. They did not get there. So the final Super 8 match against the Caribbean side now becomes a straight shootout.
Win, and the semi-final place is secured.
Slip, and the arithmetic becomes uncomfortable.
That lingering tension adds an edge to what might otherwise have felt like a statement victory.
Chepauk, But Not As Usual
The MA Chidambaram Stadium has built its reputation on gripping surfaces and clever spin. This pitch played differently. It was true, even-paced, and rewarded bold strokeplay.
That said, it demanded discipline from bowlers. India found that discipline. Zimbabwe did not, particularly at the death. A handful of missed yorkers and a few misjudged lengths cost them heavily in the closing overs.
On a night like this, small margins multiply quickly.
A Glimpse Of India’s Ceiling
This performance offered a glimpse of what India can look like when their intent aligns with execution.
An explosive powerplay. A middle order willing to accelerate rather than consolidate. Finishers who know exactly when to press down. Bowlers who defend large totals without drifting into panic.
Still, stronger opposition will test these methods more severely. The West Indies, with their depth and power, will not allow 80 in the powerplay without pushback. They will counterattack.
That contest will tell us more.
For now, India leaves Chennai with momentum and a dressing room that feels lighter than it did a few days ago.
The semi-final door is open. They have placed one foot through it.
One more push is required.
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- Prakash Nairhttps://hindustanherald.in/authors/prakash/
- Prakash Nairhttps://hindustanherald.in/authors/prakash/
- Prakash Nairhttps://hindustanherald.in/authors/prakash/
- Prakash Nairhttps://hindustanherald.in/authors/prakash/
