IND vs ZIM: Chepauk pitch will increase the tension of the Indian team? Zimbabwe’s challenge will be in front of Team India, read the pitch report

India vs Zimbabwe Pitch Report : Team India led by Suryakumar Yadav will face Zimbabwe in the second Super 8 match of T20 World Cup 2026. The match will be played on Thursday, February 26 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, also known as the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai. After losing the first Super 8 match against South Africa, India’s remaining two matches have become a do-or-die affair. To stay in the race for the semi-finals, the Indian team will have to win this match at any cost. So all eyes are on the Chennai pitch. So let’s find out how much Chennai’s new pitch will benefit Team India.

So far in the T20 World Cup 2026, Team India has faced pitches where batting has not been easy. India’s big batsmen have struggled and struggled to play freely. Chepauk’s pitch is generally considered to be slow, which would have helped Zimbabwean bowlers like Sikandar Raza and Blessing Mazarbani. Zimbabwe also have fast bowlers, but this time Chepauk’s pitch can provide some comfort to the Indian batsmen.

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But according to a report in Times of India, the Chennai pitch may be in a different condition for the Super 8 match between India and Zimbabwe. According to reports, the ground was dug up and the pitch completely rested before the World Cup. To keep the pitch fresh, no matches were played there for more than five months.

On both the red and black clay pitches in Chennai, the ball is now hitting the bat better than ever. The first match of the tournament was played here between Afghanistan and New Zealand, where the Afghan team batted first and scored 182 runs. In reply, the Kiwis reached the target in 17.5 overs. This was a big change from previous matches, where the pace was usually slow. Other matches played at Chepauk in this World Cup have also seen high scores. New Zealand chased down 175 runs against UAE in 15.2 overs, while Canada’s Yuvraj Samara scored 110 off 65 balls against New Zealand. The ball didn’t turn much or stop too much.

Chennai’s pitch usually turns a lot, but this time the pacers got some support too. In the two day-night matches played here so far, teams batting first have easily defended 196 and 200 runs. Dew usually plays an important role here, but this time it didn’t have much effect. Therefore, the captain may prefer to bat first. A target of 180 would be ideal for Zimbabwe, but the current situation in Chepauk suggests that such a score may not be enough.