Sunil Gavaskar Tells How 'Shock Therapy' Lifted India vs Zimbabwe In T20 World Cup Super 8
After losing their opening Super 8 match to South Africa, Team India bounced back in emphatic fashion, defeating Zimbabwe by 72 runs to stay in contention for the T20 World Cup 2026 semifinals.
- India defeated Zimbabwe by 72 runs in the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 stage
- Earlier, India were beaten by 76 runs by South Africa in their first Super 8 match
- "The margin of the loss would have shaken them up, and they took that shock in a positive way," Gavaskar said
After losing their opening Super 8 match to South Africa, Team India bounced back in emphatic fashion, defeating Zimbabwe by 72 runs to stay in contention for the T20 World Cup 2026 semifinals. Put in to bat, India piled up a massive 256/4, with Abhishek Sharma smashing 55 off 30 balls and Hardik Pandya remaining unbeaten on 50 from just 23 deliveries. Zimbabwe showed some fight in the chase but were eventually restricted to 184/6. The big win also served as a crucial morale booster for India after their dramatic batting collapse while chasing 177 against the Proteas.
Following the victory, legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar said that Suryakumar Yadav and his team responded positively to the shock of the South Africa loss and produced a commanding performance against Zimbabwe.
"The margin of the loss would have shaken them up, and I think they took that shock in a positive way. They came back strongly and in a manner that was great to see. They made changes - something we all debated - and both changes worked well," Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
Gavaskar also praised Sanju Samson for the impact he made as an opener with his brisk 24 off 15 balls.
"Having Sanju Samson at the top helped. He may not have scored a fifty, but he gave the team a flying start - exactly what was needed. In previous matches, one of the openers got out early. Today too, we lost a wicket in the powerplay, but the momentum was there," he added.
Arshdeep Singh was India's standout bowler, picking up three wickets while conceding just 24 runs in his four overs. Gavaskar noted that the upcoming match against West Indies on Sunday would be a much tougher challenge.
"That's a great start - scoring at more than 10 an over. The bowling also clicked. Yes, Brian Bennett looked dangerous at times, but when you have 254 on the board and everyone has spent time in the middle, it's a good sign. But nothing can be taken for granted. Sunday will be a completely different game," Gavaskar said.
India Cricket Team
Zimbabwe Cricket Team
Sunil Gavaskar
Hardik Pandya