CHENNAI : India piled up the highest total of this year’s Twenty20 World Cup and crushed Zimbabwe by 72 runs in their Super Eights clash on Thursday to revive their title defence.
Sent in to bat at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, the hosts smashed 256-4, the tournament’s biggest score so far, with Abhishek Sharma and Hardik Pandya producing explosive half-centuries.
Seventeen sixes and 17 fours rained down on a Zimbabwe attack blunted further by dropped catches, as India responded emphatically to their earlier Super Eights defeat to South Africa.
Zimbabwe, left with a daunting chase, finished on 184-6 despite an unbeaten 97 from Brian Bennett, a result that confirmed their elimination. India will now meet West Indies in a virtual quarter-final in Kolkata on Sunday.
“The contribution from all the batters… it was heartening to see,” India captain Suryakumar Yadav said. “We could have been a little bit more clinical with the ball but it’s fine. At the end of the day, a win is a win.”
India made a brisk start, reaching 80-1 in the powerplay as Abhishek, who had begun the tournament with three consecutive ducks, rediscovered his touch with a 26-ball fifty. Sanju Samson scored 24 on his return, while Ishan Kishan made 38 after being dropped on 26.
Abhishek’s 55 ended when Tinotenda Maposa varied his pace, and Suryakumar chipped in with 33 off 13 balls despite an early reprieve. Pandya (50) and Tilak Varma (44) then combined for an unbroken 84 from 31 deliveries to propel India beyond the 250 mark.
Zimbabwe’s reply began steadily before Axar Patel removed Tadiwanashe Marumani. Bennett brought up a 34-ball half-century to keep faint hopes alive, but Arshdeep Singh (3-24) dismissed Sikander Raza and Ryan Burl in the same over to swing the contest firmly India’s way.
“We could have executed our defensive plans better and gave too many runs away,” Zimbabwe captain Sikander Raza said. “Once the train goes, it is hard to get back. We could have restricted them to 210 or 220.”
