T20 World Cup: India defeated Zimbabwe by 71 runs in the final Super-12 game at the chaotic MCG in front of nearly 82,000 spectators. With 8 points, the men in blue finished first in their group, ahead of Pakistan, their traditional opponents.
In the Super 12, Rohit Sharma’s team has only lost once, to South Africa, despite having to work extremely hard to defeat Bangladesh by five runs (DLS method) in their previous game. Zimbabwe, on the other hand, was eliminated from contention for a spot in the quarterfinal despite earlier in the tournament shocking Babar Azam’s Pakistan by a single run.
India finished first in their pool, two points ahead of Pakistan, who defeated Bangladesh to secure a spot in the second semi-final in Group 2. Pakistan defeated Bangladesh to earn the second semi-final spot in Group 2. India then crushed Zimbabwe, posting 186-5 before dismissing their opponents for 115 in 17.2 overs.
Pakistan will now play Group 1 winners New Zealand in Sydney on Wednesday, November 9 in the first semifinal, while India will now play Group 2 runners-up England in Adelaide on Thursday, November 10 in the second semifinal.
KL Rahul (51 off 35) and Suryakumar Yadav (61no off 25) excelled for India with the bat until a combined seven wickets were taken by Ravichandran Ashwin (3-22), Hardik Pandya (2-16), and Mohammed Shami (2-14).
As India scored 79 runs from their final five overs, Rahul completed a 34-ball fifty with a six in the 13th over, while Suryakumar finished a 23-ball half-century in the 20th.
With the help of Hardik Pandya (18 off 18), Suryakumar was able to hit two fours off Blessing Muzarabani in the 16th and a six and a four off Richard Ngarava and Tendai Chatara in the 17th and 18th respectively.
The top-ranked T20I batter in the globe then hit three magnificent leg-side boundaries, including two mind-blowing sixes, off Ngarava in a 21-run final over to record his third fifty of the competition.
While Virat Kohli was dismissed for 26 by the outstanding Sean Williams (2-9) before he could complete his hat trick, he immediately made a difference in the field as he produced a diving catch at cover to dismiss Wesley Madhevere ((0)) from the opening ball of Zimbabwe’s chase.
Before Sikandar Raza (34 off 24) and Ryan Burl (35 off 22) completed a fifty-run stand for the sixth wicket, Zimbabwe was 36-5 in the eighth over after losing their second wicket in the second over to Arshdeep Singh’s clean bowling of Regis Chakabva (2).
Burl’s heroics with the bat came after he took a stunning fielding catch to eliminate Rishabh Pant (3) in the India batter’s opening match of the championship. Burl made a leaping grab on the wide long-on boundary. Zimbabwe lost their final five wickets for 19 runs after Ashwin bowled Burl.