DEFENDING champions India beat Zimbabwe by 72 runs in their Super Eights T20 World Cup match on Thursday, confirming South Africa’s place in the semi-finals.
India scored 256-4 before restricting Zimbabwe to 184-6 in Chennai. The result means India’s match against West Indies on Sunday will decide the final semi-final spot.
Earlier in Ahmedabad, South Africa beat West Indies by nine wickets.
At the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, opener Abhishek Sharma made 55 and Hardik Pandya remained unbeaten on 50 as India posted 256-4 after being asked to bat.
Zimbabwe, who had beaten Australia and Sri Lanka to reach the Super Eights, could not keep up with the required rate despite a quick start.
Opener Brian Bennett was unbeaten on 97, the highest individual score by a Zimbabwe player in T20 World Cup history. Zimbabwe are now out of semi-final contention with one match remaining.
Left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep Singh took 3-24 from four overs.
Zimbabwe’s bowlers have conceded 510 runs in 40 overs across their two Super Eights matches after West Indies scored 254-6 against them on Monday.
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza won the toss and chose to field for the second straight match. His bowlers were again put under pressure.
Left-handed Abhishek, who had three ducks in four innings in this tournament, hit four fours and four sixes.
Pandya and left-handed Tilak Varma, who scored 44 off 16 balls, added an unbeaten 84-run partnership.
India fell short of the tournament record of 260-6 set by Sri Lanka against Kenya in 2007.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson returned to the side and opened the batting instead of the previous left-handed combination of Abhishek and Ishan Kishan.
Samson scored 24 before being dismissed by Blessing Muzarabani. Abhishek reached his fifty from 26 balls in a 72-run stand with Kishan, who made 38.
Abhishek was caught at long-on off Tinotenda Maposa.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav scored 33 from 13 balls.
Pandya hit two sixes off Brad Evans to reach his half-century on the final ball of the innings.
(With inputs from agencies)
