Chennai: India crushed Zimbabwe by 72 runs in their crucial Super Eight clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Thursday and kept their hope alive for semifinals. It was also India’s highest total in this tournament and the second-highest score in Men’s T20 World Cup history.
Earlier, Abhishek Sharma and Hardik Pandya struck blazing half-centuries as India posted a massive 256/4 against Zimbabwe. The rivals managed to reach 184/6.
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza won the toss and elected to bowl due to sensing moisture in the pitch that might assist his seamers. But his gamble backfired spectacularly as India's batters attacked from the word go, sending Zimbabwe's bowlers for the better part of 20 overs chasing leather, as the defending champions hit an astonishing 17 sixes, also a new record in the T20 World Cup.
Sanju Samson began the fireworks with a 15-ball 24, before Abhishek Sharma showed signs of coming back to his best self by hitting a 30-ball 55. Pandya applied great finishing touches by smashing an unbeaten 23-ball 50, while Tilak Varma also played his part fantastically by hitting an unbeaten 44 off 16 balls.
Onus was on India’s bowlers to bowl out Zimbabwe quickly and get a big net run rate boost after it was left in tatters post a 76-run loss to South Africa in Ahmedabad.
From the very first over, Samson, brought in place of Rinku Singh to break the left-handed monotony at the top, signalled intent - flat-batting a hard length ball from Richard Ngarava to six, before thwacking Blessing Muzarabani for another maximum.
Abhishek began more cautiously before a no-ball boundary off Tinotenda Maposa woke him up. A driven four through the line was followed by a pulled six off a slower ball that signalled that Abhishek was ready to get going. But Muzarabani struck back in the fourth over when Samson miscued an offcutter to deep midwicket. But Abhishek was unfazed - he launched Brad Evans over cow corner and got a thick edge for four.
Ishan Kishan joined in by lapping Ngarava over fine leg and pulling with authority, before being given a reprieve by Musekiwa. The middle overs saw Abhishek continue his assault. He danced down to Bennett for a six over long-on and brought up his fifty off just 26 balls with a pull off Raza. Kishan too found rhythm, striking Raza for four and six in consecutive balls. But Raza had the last laugh as Kishan slashed and was caught by the short third man.
