A highly confident Zimbabwe cricket team will be up against Team India, the defending champion and co-host of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Will the Chevrons be able to continue their momentum, or will it be a reality check for them?
The article that follows includes a detailed preview of the India vs Zimbabwe T20 World Cup match. The article will include their probable playing XI, best probable players, head-to-head record, and details of the broadcast of the game, along with the weather and pitch report at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
IND vs ZIM T20 World Cup Match Preview:
Match Date: The India vs Zimbabwe match will be played on Thursday, February 26.
Venue: The match will take place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Time: The match is scheduled to start at 7.00 PM IST.
IND vs ZIM Full Squads:
India National Cricket Team: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and Rinku Singh.
Zimbabwe National Cricket Team: Sikandar Raza (c), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Graeme Cremer, Bradley Evans, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, and Ben Curran.
IND vs ZIM Probable XIs:
India Playing 11: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, and Arshdeep Singh.
Zimbabwe playing 11: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (w), Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza (c), Ryan Burl, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Graeme Cremer, Blessing Muzarabani.
IND vs ZIM T20 World Cup Match Key Battles:
1. Abhishek Sharma vs Blessing Muzarabani:
While the Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani has been picking wickets in a consistent manner since their first match of the tournament, India opener Abhishek Sharma touched new lows in his international career. The Super 8 match against Zimbabwe can be an ideal stage for the southpaw to showcase his vintage form. Like the USA, Pakistan, and the Netherlands, Zimbabwe will not be an exception to Sharma. They will brace themselves with proper planning for the high-profile match.
2. Ishan Kishan vs Graeme Cremer:
Ishan Kishan’s burning form becomes a key point for Team India. During the group stage, teams might have prepared for Abhishek Sharma but got destroyed by Ishan Kishan. Graeme Cremer, one of the cornerstones of Zimbabwe’s current team, will utilise all his experiences to help his team get rid of the swashbuckling opener as soon as possible.
3. Sikandar Raza vs Varun Chakravarthy:
Sikandar Raza, the captain of the Zimbabwe cricket team, is the heartbeat of the squad. The batter, who has played in every corner of the planet through various franchise leagues, is well aware of the subcontinental conditions and knows how to handle some of the top bowlers in the format. Raza is expected to go one-on-one with Varun Chakravarthy. If Varun is able to dismiss Raza early, then the Zimbabwe cricket team will be instantly on the back foot.
IND vs. ZIM Key Players:
India Key Players: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Varun Chakravarthy.
Zimbabwe Key Players: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (w), Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza, Graeme Cremer, and Blessing Muzarabani.
IND vs ZIM Live Streaming and Broadcasting:
IND vs ZIM Broadcast in India: The India vs Zimbabwe match will be broadcast live across India on the Star Sports Network.
Online Live Streaming in India: The matches of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 can be streamed live on the Jio HotStar app with an active subscription.
India National Cricket Team vs Zimbabwe National Cricket Team T20 World Cup Match Weather and Pitch Report—India:
IND vs ZIM Weather Report in Chennai:
As of now, there is no forecast for rain on February 26, during the match hours in Chennai. Throughout the day, the sky will remain clear. During the evening hours, when the match will be underway, the temperature is expected to be around 25 degrees Celsius.
IND vs ZIM Pitch Report at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai:
Spinners may fall in love with the pitch in Chennai; batters may have to grind hard for every boundary. Among all the venues in the ongoing T20 World Cup, Chidambaram Stadium is not among the high-scoring grounds, historically. If the first batting team somehow gets between 180 and 190, then it will be a tough challenge for the second batting side.
IND vs ZIM Head-to-Head Records:
From 2010 to 2024, India and Zimbabwe faced each other in 13 T20Is. In those thirteen matches, Zimbabwe got to win in only 3, and India ruled the rivalry with 10 victories. In the previous editions of the T20 World Cups, India faced Zimbabwe once and claimed the match as well.
| Match | IND Won | ZIM Won | Tied | Draw | No Result |
| Overall | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| In Last 5 Matches | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| In T20 World Cups | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
IND vs ZIM Last 5 match results:
1. India vs Zimbabwe—India won by 42 runs on July 14, 2024.
2. India vs Zimbabwe—India won by 10 wickets on July 13, 2024.
3. India vs Zimbabwe—India won by 23 runs on July 10, 2024.
4. India vs Zimbabwe—India won by 100 runs on July 7, 2024.
5. India vs Zimbabwe—Zimbabwe won by 13 runs on July 6, 2024.
IND vs ZIM T20 World Cup Match—Conclusion:
Zimbabwe emerged as a surprise in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. In the group stage, they not only defeated Australia, but also dismissed Sri Lanka, the co-host of the tournament in Colombo. Sikandar Raza and his team got a momentum, but can they able to continue it? Stats are suggesting that India can be the winner on February 26.
