Tension gripped MA Chidambaram Stadium as Zimbabwe triumphed at the toss in their Super 8 showdown with India, choosing to chase on a pitch Raza deemed seamer-friendly due to visible dampness.
Strategic tweaks defined teams: India unleashes Washington Sundar over Axar Patel and recalls Sanju Samson ahead of Rinku Singh for glovework. Zimbabwe slots Tinotenda Maposa, replacing Kramer, to exploit conditions.
Captains spoke volumes. Raza: ‘Pitch moisture screams swing. Cap India’s score low, and we dictate terms. Heat levels the field.’ Yadav: ‘Loss? No issue—we eyed batting. Boys primed: forget past, embrace fearless play. Changes confirmed: Sundar, Samson in.’
Broader picture: SA’s 9-wicket rout of WI lifts India from NRR peril (-3.800, 3rd). Twin wins propel them forward. Table: SA (+2.890, 1st), WI (+1.791, 2nd), IND (3rd), ZIM (-5.350, 4th).
India XI: Samson (†), A Sharma, Kishan, SK Yadav (¢), T Varma, H Pandya, S Dube, W Sundar, A Singh, V Chakaravarthy, J Bumrah. Zim XI: T Marumani (†), B Bennett, D Myers, R Burl, S Raza (¢), T Munyonga, T Musakanda, B Evans, T Maposa, B Muzarabani, R Ngarava.
India’s batting firepower meets Zimbabwe’s bowling ambition—pure T20 spectacle awaits, with semifinal dreams on the line.