India will face Zimbabwe in a must-win Super Eight match of the T20 World Cup 2026 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk, Chennai, on Thursday night. After a heavy 76-run loss to South Africa, Suryakumar Yadav and his team are under serious pressure. Their hopes of reaching the semi-finals are now in danger. India must win both their remaining matches against Zimbabwe and the West Indies. Even then, they may have to depend on other results going their way. There is no room for mistakes anymore.
The match will be played under lights at Chepauk, where dew often becomes a big factor in the second innings. When dew settles on the ground, it makes batting easier and bowling more difficult. The ball becomes wet and hard to grip, which affects bowlers, especially spinners.
Chepauk is in complete readiness for the Super 8 encounter between India and Zimbabwe. 🏏#TamilNaduCricket #TNCA #TNCricket #T20WorldCup #FeelTheThrill pic.twitter.com/BGeK5LTnis
— TNCA (@TNCACricket) February 26, 2026
To deal with this issue, the stadium authorities have used a new imported chemical called “Dew Cure.” According to an Indian Express report, it has been brought from the United States. The chemical was sprayed on the ground earlier in the week and may be used again before the match. The aim is to reduce the effect of dew during the game.
Humidity levels are expected to be between 80 and 90 per cent, which increases the chances of heavy dew. Traditionally, Chepauk is known to help spinners. The pitch usually slows down and offers a turn. But once dew sets in, conditions change. The ball skids more, and batting becomes easier. Because of this, the toss will be very important. Teams generally prefer to chase in night matches here. Defending a total with a wet ball is always tough.
Match Day:-
IND vs ZIM (Super 8)
🚨Team India Playing XI 🚨:-
Ishan Kishan (wk)
Abhishek Sharma
Tilak Varma
Suryakumar Yadav (c)
Shivam Dube
Hardik Pandya
Sanju Samson (IN)
Axar Patel (IN)
Arshdeep Singh
Varun Ch
Jasprit BumrahOUT: Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar pic.twitter.com/rHMMfLu8Gr
— m_777 (@Visca_Barca_05) February 26, 2026
Both teams are coming into this match after big defeats. India lost badly to South Africa, while Zimbabwe suffered a 107-run loss to the West Indies. Now, both sides will be desperate to bounce back and keep their tournament hopes alive.
