India has kept its semi-final hopes alive after defeating Zimbabwe by a significant margin in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. In a crucial match in Chennai, Zimbabwe won the toss and invited India to bat first in the Super Eight Group 1 match. India’s batting lineup showed a brisk pace, scoring 256 runs for the loss of four wickets. A significant contribution came from Abhishek Sharma with 55 runs, Hardik Pandya with 50* runs, Tilak Varma with 44* runs, Ishan Kishan with 38 runs, Captain Surya Kumar Yadav with 33 runs, and Sanju Samson with 24 runs. Zimbabwe’s bowlers, however, managed to pick up one wicket each from the Indian lineup.
In response, Zimbabwe’s batting lineup was overwhelmed by India’s target, with opener Brian Bennett remaining unbeaten on 97 runs. Apart from Bennett, Sikandar Raza scored 31 runs, while Marumani scored 20 runs. For India, Arshdeep Singh picked three wickets, while Shum Dubey, Aksar Patel, and Varun Chakravarthy each took one wicket. Hardik Pandya was awarded the Man of the Match for his impressive performance.
India’s victory has kept its semi-final hopes alive, and its next match will be against West Indies. The winner of this match will qualify for the semi-finals. Pakistan’s next match will be against Sri Lanka in a must-win encounter, as a big margin victory will propel them to the semi-finals.
In related news, the England team has won its 49th match in the T20 World Cup 2026, defeating New Zealand by four wickets in a thrilling match. This victory has ensured England’s qualification for the Super Eight stage. Pakistani fast bowler Salman Mirza believes that the conditions in India favor spin bowlers.
In other news, the French Football authorities have refused to grant official breaks for prayer, citing religious grounds. As a result, such instances are rare in international football matches.
The Indian cricket team is currently tied with West Indies on two points each. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka has appealed to his government to withdraw from the T20 World Cup 2026. In another development, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has confirmed the death of a Pakistani citizen.
In a related story, the Pakistani government has announced that flights arriving without notice will not be allowed to park at Karachi Airport. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that their military was prepared for the day.
Due to heightened tensions in the Middle East, Pakistan has faced a shortage of petroleum products. In a separate development, the Israeli Defense Forces have announced that they have targeted hundreds of Iranian military targets, including missile launchers during air raids in western Iran.
