The T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals race now includes India as a strong contender for qualification. The defending champions improved their performance against Zimbabwe on Thursday after their team made Suryakumar Yadav face overwhelming pressure which followed their 76-run defeat to South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8. Abhishek Sharma (55) and Hardik Pandya (50*) delivered outstanding batting performances which allowed India to achieve 256/4 after 20 overs, establishing a new record for T20 World Cup 2026 team scoring. Zimbabwe put up a valiant fight but eventually fell short of the target by 72 runs.
India now controls their own destiny because the victory gives them control over their future matches. South Africa have already entered the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals from Group 1. The last-four stage now includes one team from India or West Indies who will join the already qualified teams.
Current T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Points Table
- South Africa – 4 points, 2 matches, NRR +2.890
- West Indies – 2 points, 2 matches, NRR +1.791
- India – 2 points, 2 matches, NRR -0.100
- Zimbabwe – 0 points, 2 matches, NRR -4.475
Remaining Fixtures in Super 8 Group 1
March 1: South Africa vs Zimbabwe (3 PM)
March 1: India vs West Indies (7 PM)
Qualification Scenarios
Scenario 1
If India beat West Indies by any margin at the Eden Garden in Kolkata on Sunday, they qualify for the semi-finals.
Scenario 2
If West Indies win against India, they will move forward. If the match is canceled, or the game results in No-Result, West Indies will advance because they have a superior net run rate.
Abhishek Sharma demonstrated his explosive batting skills by hitting 55 runs from 30 balls, while Hardik Pandya scored an unbeaten fifty from 23 balls at India achieved 256/4 after Zimbabwe chose to field.
India achieved their highest T20 World Cup total in history which stands as the tournament’s maximum score.
