Abhishek Sharma, Hardik Pandya lead India to 72-run victory over Zimbabwe

Abhishek Sharma and Hardik Pandya starred as India posted 256 for four to defeat Zimbabwe by 72 runs in a must-win Super Eight T20 World Cup match at Chennai, keeping India in contention for the semifinals

Chennai: Abhishek Sharma rediscovered his form with a blazing fifty, Hardik Pandya smashed a half-century, and Tilak Varma eased strike-rate concerns in India’s massive 72-run victory over Zimbabwe, keeping them alive in the race to the T20 World Cup semifinals here on Thursday.

Along with ticking several boxes in their must-win Super Eight match, India posted an imposing 256 for four — their highest-ever total in T20 World Cups, and also the highest in this edition of the ICC showpiece.

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In the tournament scenario, India’s win ensured South Africa’s (4 points) entry into the last four from Group 1, leaving the hosts and the West Indies locked in a virtual knockout match at Kolkata on March 1. Both India and West Indies now have two points going into their last group-stage encounter.

But all of it could not have happened without contributions from Abhishek (55, 30b, 4×4, 4×6), Pandya (50 not out, 23b, 2×4, 4×6) and Tilak Varma (44 not out, 16b, 3×4, 4×6), which shaped India’s recovery from a debilitating 76-run defeat to the Proteas in the previous match.

In reply, Zimbabwe could only manage 184 for six. Opener Brian Bennett, who clobbered Shivam Dube for 26 runs in an over, offered lone resistance with an unbeaten 97 off 59 balls — a well-executed knock but destined to be a mere footnote.

Abhishek shakes off rust

Since returning from a stomach bug, the Punjab batter had struggled, registering three ducks in a row. But on a smooth Chepauk pitch, the left-hander found his form, easing the worries of the Indian team management over his sudden slump in form.

The 25-year-old was involved in two excellent partnerships — a 48-run opening stand with Sanju Samson and then 72 off 42 balls with Ishan Kishan (38) for the following wicket — which gave the hosts a strong platform.

Re-drafting Samson into the eleven was primarily to break the sequence of left-handers at the top, but pairing him with Abhishek proved a good move. The Kerala right-hander smoked 24 off 15 balls to ease any nerves his partner had.

Once Samson departed, lofting pacer Blessing Muzarabani to Ryan Burl in the deep, Abhishek took charge of the Indian innings.

He hammered Tino Maposa, Brian Bennett, and Richard Ngarava for sixes as India stormed to 80 for one in the Power Play segment — their second-best after the 86/1 made against Namibia in a group match.

The bat flow, foot movement, and eye-hand coordination, which had been missing in recent matches, were back. He brought up his first fifty off just 26 balls with a single off spinner Sikandar Raza.

More importantly, Abhishek looked assured against off-spin, which had been his nemesis in previous matches, putting his feet to better use.

Abhishek’s belligerence and the largesse of Zimbabwe fielders helped India maintain the tempo even after the Power Play, scoring 81 runs between overs seven and 14.

The tourists were also guilty of modest fielding efforts — dropping Kishan (26) and Suryakumar Yadav (8).

However, Abhishek could not extend his innings further, skying Maposa to Raza in the deep, much to Zimbabwe’s relief.

Middle-order fires, Tilak’s SR soars

The relief did not last long as India’s middle-order batters, who had been struggling to force the pace on slower surfaces in earlier matches, rediscovered their range on the mixed-soil pitch at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

India reached 100 in 9.1 overs, but the next 100 came in just 7.3 overs.

Pandya (50 not out) and Tilak (44 not out) used the long handle to telling effect, adding 84 runs for the fifth wicket as India maximised the final five overs, scoring 80 runs.

Pandya reaffirmed his status as a death-over bully with a typically scorching fifty, while Tilak’s performance might have pleased the think tank immensely.

Till this match, the left-hander had been striking at a well below-par 118. But the true-paced Chennai pitch helped him turn his bat into a cudgel, clubbing runs at a 275 strike rate.

Once India posted that massive total, it was always a case of margin. The bowlers, led by left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh (3/24), executed a perfect job to safeguard India’s title defence.