India vs Zimbabwe: India arrive at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on February 26. They just suffered a bruising 76-run defeat to South Africa. This was their heaviest loss in T20 World Cup history. Experts once thought Suryakumar Yadav’s side were unbeatable in this tournament. Now, they face a Zimbabwe team that beat Australia and Sri Lanka in the group stage. Sikandar Raza’s men know exactly where to strike. India’s shaky batting order gives them several chances.
India vs Zimbabwe: 5 Weaknesses Zimbabwe Will Target in India’s Batting Lineup
1. Abhishek Sharma’s Poor Form at the Top
Abhishek Sharma has three ducks in a row this tournament. Zimbabwe’s lead bowler Blessing Muzarabani will target him from the first ball. Muzarabani hits a high pace with sharp bounce and seam movement. This specific bowling style troubles the left-hander. India’s coach Sitanshu Kotak admitted the opener feels the pressure and mentioned Sanju Samson is ready to play. However, that change still creates doubt at the top.
2. Too Many Left-Handers in the Top Order
India use two left-handed openers. Their number three also bats left-handed. This gives Zimbabwe a big tactical advantage. Sikandar Raza can use his right-arm off-spin early. He can set aggressive fields on the offside and use the angle. Meanwhile, his seamers can bowl tight lines at the left-handers’ bodies during the Powerplay.
3. Losing Wickets in the First Over
India lost a wicket in the first over against Pakistan, the Netherlands, and South Africa. They did this in three straight matches. Zimbabwe’s bowlers will look for that pattern. They want to create the same pressure that South Africa did before India scored a run.
4. Suryakumar Yadav’s Slow Scoring
Suryakumar Yadav has played steady innings during the tournament. However, his scoring rate has dropped. He is not playing at the explosive level that made him the world’s best T20 batter. Zimbabwe’s spinners, led by Raza and Wellington Masakadza, will stop the runs in the middle overs. They will force him to take risks.
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5. Weak Batting Depth After Number Six
India’s lower order did almost nothing against South Africa. The team collapsed from 70 for 5 to 111 all out. Zimbabwe’s all-rounders, like Brad Evans, bowl full-pitched balls at the tail-enders. Another collapse in Chennai could end India’s hopes for the semi-finals.
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