Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium witnessed fireworks on Thursday as India crushed Zimbabwe by 72 runs in a T20 World Cup 2026 Super-8 encounter. Hardik Pandya stole the show with an unbeaten 50 from 23 deliveries, smashing four sixes and two fours. Named Player of the Match, he stitched an unbroken 84-run stand with Tilak Varma (44 not out) off 31 balls, helping India post 256 for 4.
Zimbabwe’s chase faltered dramatically, managing only 184 for 6. Pandya, speaking after the rout, opened up about his rediscovery. ‘During the match, it hit me—I can hit sixes just by timing the ball right, without forcing it,’ he shared. ‘Recent games hadn’t gone my way, but this felt like finding my groove again.’
His contributions weren’t limited to batting. Pandya bowled three tight overs for 21 runs, exploiting swing with the new ball. ‘I love that phase; the movement challenges batsmen and sets up wickets,’ he noted.
The result gained added significance following South Africa’s emphatic 9-wicket win over West Indies. ‘We watched it, sure, but once it ended, our focus shifted entirely to our performance,’ Pandya emphasized. ‘It’s about playing good cricket under pressure and backing our skill sets.’
With this morale-boosting victory, India eyes further dominance in the Super-8s, buoyed by Pandya’s all-round masterclass.