Reeling from a heavy 76-run loss to South Africa, defending champions India face a tricky encounter against Zimbabwe in their second Super 8 match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Thursday.
With their net run rate at -3.80, a strong win is vital to stay in contention for the semifinals.
India’s top-order brittleness has been exposed, particularly with Abhishek Sharma struggling after a stomach infection, scoring just 15 runs across four matches at an average of 3.75. Ishan Kishan continues to impress with a strike rate of 193, but support from Tilak Varma (strike rate 118) and Suryakumar Yadav (127) has fallen short of expectations.
Adjustments in the batting order are being considered, including promoting Suryakumar to No. 3 to balance the left-handed-heavy lineup.
Chepauk is expected to provide a favorable pitch, and Zimbabwe’s spin attack of Graeme Cremer, Sikandar Raza, and Ryan Burl is not as threatening as previous opponents.
India will need tactical precision and consistent contributions from the middle order to overcome their recent setbacks and secure a semifinal berth.
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