IND vs ZIM Live Score: Predicted Playing XIs
India head into the must-win Super 8 match against Zimbabwe under intense pressure in the T20 World Cup 2026. After a crushing 76-run defeat to South Africa, India find themselves in a tough spot in Group 1. With net run rate severely affected, there is no room for error. They must win their remaining two matches to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe also suffer a huge loss after being hammered for 107 runs by West Indies, who posted 254/6. Coach Justin Sammons expects India to attack aggressively from the start, but believes his team learned valuable lessons from the defeat. Zimbabwe will look to remain calm under pressure and avoid the errors that cost them in their previous match.
“We know the way India will bowl out will be very similar to the way West Indies have approached their innings. They (India) are not going to back down,” Sammons said after the match.
He added: “There will be good lessons from that and how we deal with that, under pressure at the moment, how we stay calm and just think on our feet and also try to change things up a bit, disrupt the tempo.”
Sammons acknowledged the errors made during the West Indies match and said his team, especially the bowling unit, was guilty of being “predictable”.
“…We can be a little smarter in that regard. Chennai will be a little bigger and will probably be more comfortable in that aspect there,” he said.
India may have to make changes in this crucial game. All-rounder Rinku Singh is unlikely to play due to a family medical emergency, which could open the door for Sanju Samson or bring back left-arm spinner Axar Patel into the playing XI. With the Chennai pitch expected to help both batsmen and fielders, team selection will be key.
Coach Gautam Gambhir explained that team selection is not just based on statistics, but on the overall value a player brings to the team.
“We are not looking at averages, stats and all that stuff. We are looking at who can do more with that number. Axar has done very well. There will always be debates, but this is the direction we want to move in,” Gambhir said.
Both sides have a lot at stake. For India, it is about survival and regaining confidence. For Zimbabwe, it is an opportunity to thwart one of the tournament favorites and prove their resilience. With mounting pressures and qualifying scenarios intensifying, Thursday’s match is expected to be intense and decisive.
Prediction for India vs Zimbabwe Playing XI:
India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dubey, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar.
Zimbabwe: Sikander Raza (c), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Graeme Cremer, Bradley Evans, Tadiwanashe Marumane, Wellington Masakadza, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Mosekiwa, Blessing Muzarabane, Dion Myers.
India vs Zimbabwe Difference:
India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dubey, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh.
Zimbabwe: Sikander Raza (c), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Graeme Cremer, Ben Curran, Bradley Evans, Clive Madande, Tinutunda Mabusa, Tadiwanashe Marumane, Wellington Masakadza, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Mosekiwa, Blessing Muzarabane, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava.
