 "Both India and Zimbabwe face a do-or-die situation. Image: AFP")
Suryakumar Yadav’s India will face Sikandar Raza’s Zimbabwe on Thursday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai in what is a must-win clash for both sides in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
India have played decent cricket for most of the tournament, but their heavy defeat to South Africa in the Super 8 opener exposed some serious concerns. Their batting, which was expected to dominate, has not fired consistently. One more defeat could end their semi-final hopes, and that makes this game extremely important.
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India are likely to make a few changes to the playing XI to compensate for last game’s defeat. Sanju Samson is expected to return to break the sequence of left-handers at the top of the order. India have repeatedly lost a left-handed opener in the first over to off-spin, and bringing in a right-hander like Samson could change the dynamic.
However, Samson has not been in great form for the past several months. But he has shown promise in his only game at this World Cup against Namibia, where he scored 22 runs off just eight balls. All-rounder Axar Patel is also expected to return after being benched against South Africa in the last game.
Zimbabwe, on the other hand, have already exceeded expectations. After a brilliant group-stage campaign where they defeated Australia and Sri Lanka, they proved they are here to make a statement. However, they suffered a heavy defeat against the West Indies in their Super 8 opener.
Quick Reads
View AllChepauk pitch report
The pitch at MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) has changed over the years. Once known for its slower tracks and helping spinners, it now offers better bounce and could assist batters more than the bowlers. Scores between 180 and 200 have become common at this venue in this tournament when other stadiums have struggled for runs. It has been the best batting ground in this T20 World Cup. The India and Zimbabwe match is expected to see a black-soil surface being used.
Chennai weather forecast
According to AccuWeather, the conditions are expected to be clear in Chennai today, with temperatures around 31-32 degrees Celsius during the day and dropping to 27 degrees in the evening. There is no threat of rain in the city, meaning a full match is expected without any interruptions.