IND vs ZIM: In a breathtaking display of modern T20 power-hitting, India rewritten the history books at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Thursday, Feb 26. Facing Zimbabwe in a must-win Super 8 encounter, the Men in Blue posted a colossal 256/4, setting the record for the highest team total in the 2026 T20 World Cup. More significantly, this performance surpassed India’s previous tournament best of 218/4—a record that had stood for 19 years since the inaugural 2007 edition.
From the moment the first ball was bowled, India’s intent was clear. Having been criticized for a slow start in their previous match against South Africa, the openers took the Zimbabwean attack to the cleaners. Abhishek Sharma led the charge with a scintillating 55 off 30 balls, finding his rhythm at the perfect time for the hosts. He was well-supported by Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan, who kept the run rate soaring above 10 throughout the middle overs.
While the foundation was solid, the finish was historic. The final five overs were a masterclass in clean hitting, led by captain Suryakumar Yadav (33 off 13) and a devastating unbeaten partnership between Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma. Hardik reached his half-century on the final delivery of the innings, finishing with 50 off 23 balls*, while Varma played a spectacular cameo of 44 off just 16 deliveries*. Together, they hammered 79 runs in the final four overs, leaving the Zimbabwean bowlers with no answers.
This total is now the second-highest in the history of the T20 World Cup, falling just four runs short of Sri Lanka’s all-time record of 260/6. For India, the timing of this explosion couldn’t be better. After a demoralizing loss earlier in the week, this massive score has significantly boosted their Net Run Rate (NRR), effectively keeping their semi-final dreams alive. As Zimbabwe begins their chase of 257, the pressure is entirely on the “giant killers” to pull off what would be a cricketing miracle.
