India Vs Zimbabwe: Bennett’s 97* in vain as India surge into Super 8s safety
The india vs zimbabwe Super 8s match ended with India completing a 72-run win that eliminated Zimbabwe, a game built on India’s 256-4 — the second highest total in T20 World Cup history.
Huge total set the tone
India’s 256-4 provided a platform Zimbabwe could not reach. Sharma’s rapid half-century helped set the total, with Hardik Pandya hammering an unbeaten 50 off 23 balls and Tilak scoring 44 not out off 16 to accelerate the innings.
India Vs Zimbabwe: Bennett’s 97* not enough
Brian Bennett finished unbeaten on 97, but his run chase fell short as Zimbabwe were beaten by 72 runs. Bennett’s 97* was the standout individual effort for Zimbabwe, but it could not close the gap on India’s imposing score.
Player reactions and milestones
Player of the Match Hardik Pandya said he was "pretty happy, " describing a mid-innings reassessment where he shifted from trying to hit too hard to timing the ball and clearing the ropes. On his bowling he added that he likes "bowling with the new ball" and the inswing gives him chances to take wickets and challenge batters. Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza reflected that he looks at the positives after his side’s 31-run contribution, saying his team were more composed than in their previous 250-run game but that fielding and defensive execution had cost them; he said they could have restricted India to 210 or 220 and that he is "looking for a better fielding performance" in the next game. Raza’s 31 also took him to a milestone as Zimbabwe’s first batter to reach 3, 000 runs in T20 internationals.
A quiet Super 8s day that still mattered
Commentary on the match noted it "wasn't the most drama-filled Super 8s match so far, " but that the result did what India needed — keeping Suryakumar Yadav’s team alive in this year’s T20 World Cup. Before this meeting, the sides had met once at a previous T20 World Cup in 2022, when Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 25-ball 61 led India to a 71-run win.
What comes next
The match write-up was prepared by Millie Sian, Elizabeth Botcherby and Maisie Gallen, and readers are pointed to upcoming coverage: England’s clash against New Zealand is scheduled for tomorrow, with live-text commentary beginning at 13: 00 GMT.
