Four days back, everyone was backing India to lift the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, but just one poor game has changed everything. Team India suffered one of their heaviest defeats in T20I cricket as South Africa thumped them by 76 runs. India were ahead in the game with the ball when they took three early wickets. But after that, they were nowhere in the game. That has put the defending champion in a dilemma, where they need to win their remaining games.
India will be in action in Chennai as they square off against Zimbabwe. This game will be live from Chidambaram Stadium on February 26 (Thursday) at 7 PM IST. India have an NRR of -3.800, and they need a massive win to take their NRR into the positive. But the form of their top order, bowling combination, and Rinku Singh's unavailability are some major challenges. Then, Zimbabwe are not an easy opponent. They played poorly against West Indies, but they would know that India would be under pressure.
IND vs ZIM: Match Info.
·Series: ICC T20 World Cup 2026
·Match: India vs Zimbabwe, Match 48, Super 8
·Venue MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
·Time: 7:00 PM IST
·Date: February 25, 2026 (Thursday)
IND vs ZIM: Head-to-Head: IND (10) – ZIM (3)
These two teams will meet for the 14th time in the shorter format. India have a major lead with 10 victories as compared to three wins for Zimbabwe.
IND vs ZIM: Pitch Report
The wicket at Chepauk Stadium has been pretty good for batting. This wicket will be same which was used for the NZ vs AFG game. So, one can expect a good batting track with some grip later on. There will be some seam movement under light, but overall, it is expected to be a good track for batting. With India needing to win by a big margin, we expect the wicket to be more in favor of the batters.
IND vs ZIM: Live Streaming Details
·TV: Star Sports Network
·Digital: Jio Hotstar (App or Website)
IND vs ZIM: Weather Report
The weather forecast for Thursday evening shows clear conditions with periodic clouds and a humidity index around 75 percent. The temperature is predicted to be around 26°C with a moderate wind speed of 13 km/h.
IND vs ZIM: Last Five Results
Zimbabwe: W, W, NR, W, L
India: W, W, W, W, L
India vs Zimbabwe: Predicted XIs:
India: A. Sharma, I. Kishan (wk), S. Samson, T. Varma, S. Yadav (c), H. Pandya, S. Dube, A. Patel, A. Singh, J. Bumrah, V. Chakaravarthy
Zimbabwe: B. Bennett, T. Marumani (wk), S. Raza (c), D. Myers, T. Musekiwa, R. Burl, T. Munyonga, B. Evans, R. Ngarava, G. Cremer, B. Muzarabani
IND vs ZIM: Players to Watch out for
Zimbabwe: Sikandar Raza is someone who has done well against India. Hence, his role with bat and ball will be key. The Indian top order has struggled against off-spin, and Raza can be handy in this aspect.
India: The role of Varun Chakravarthy will be important for India with the ball. With his mystery spin, he can give India an advantage in the middle. With the bat, Ishan Kishan has been in blistering form, and a good knock from him will put India on the top.
India vs Zimbabwe Today’s Match Prediction: Both teams are coming off big defeats, and they will be in search of momentum. There is no match between these sides on paper. India know these conditions better, and they have players who can win games on their own. Varun and Bumrah will be a big threat with the ball.
Meanwhile, the Indian batters have delivered in such pressure games before. Zimbabwe don't have a good record against the higher-ranked side. But as a unit, they can be a canny opponent. Because they know that India are in search of a big win and will be under pressure. So, India cannot take Zimbabwe lightly. But if we look at all the aspects, India will be favorites to win this game.
Disclaimer: Participating or investing in Fantasy Platforms involves financial risk. Please play responsibly!
