IND vs ZIM: All possible changes in India's playing 11 for match 48 of T20 World Cup 2026
The IND vs ZIM match of the T20 World Cup 2026 will take place on February 26 in Chennai.
India are gearing up for their next match against Zimbabwe in the Super 8 round after a crushing loss to South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2026. The clash will be played on February 26 at Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, and is a must-win game for India to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
If India do not want to depend on the outcomes of other matches to book a berth in the semis, they need to win their next two games at any cost. Moreover, Suryakumar Yadav & Co. would aim to crush Zimbabwe by a huge margin so they can improve their Net Run Rate (NRR).
The Men-in-Blue lost the clash against South Africa by a huge margin of 76 runs, where the Proteas overpowered them with both bat and ball. Chasing 188 for victory, the defending champions were bowled out for just 111 runs.
Notably, India did not make any changes to their playing XI in the previous game, but the decision turned out to be a horrible one. However, India are expected to make a few changes against Zimbabwe. Below are the two possible changes India could make in their upcoming clash in the Super 8 round.
Possible changes in India’s playing 11 against Zimbabwe-
2. Axar Patel over Washington Sundar
India’s decision to leave out vice-captain Axar Patel in the last match has been heavily criticised by fans and experts. Washington Sundar was preferred as a spin all-rounder over Patel against South Africa.
However, he emerged too expensive in his first two overs by leaking 17 runs and was also halted from bowling further in the match. He lost his wicket cheaply for 11 runs off an equal number of balls.
While Axar has failed to make a mark with the bat, he has done a superb job with the ball. In three matches, he has picked six wickets at an average of 12.16 and an economy of 6.63, claiming two wickets in every game.
1. Sanju Samson over Rinku Singh
Another change India could make is bringing in Sanju Samson in place of Rinku Singh. Rinku has left India’s squad due to a family emergency on Tuesday and will rejoin the squad ahead of the IND vs ZIM clash.
Batting at the lower order, Rinku has struggled with his responsibility to score runs at a high strike rate. Across five innings, he got out for single digits in three outings. In the previous game, he lost his wicket for a duck.
Samson has played only one game against Namibia, where he scored 22 runs off eight deliveries. Rinku might be dropped from the playing XI and Samson reinstated as opener, with Kishan getting dropped to No. 3. This will allow India to have a lefty-righty combination in the opening slot.
When will the IND vs ZIM match take place?
The IND vs ZIM match will take place on February 26 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
What are the possible changes in India’s playing XI vs Zimbabwe?
Washington Sundar and Rinku Singh are likely to be dropped in the IND vs ZIM match. Axar Patel and Sanju Samson might replace them in the playing XI.
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Vikas Singh Derek is a core cricket-lover since childhood and has always followed the sport both in his personal and professional life. He started his school life by watching cricket at home with family. Later, he played cricket on the field at local clubs during college. After his Master's in Journalism from Mumbai, he followed his passion by covering cricket news across various digital media. Since 2015, he has been an aspiring sports journalist and cricket content writer with over 50K+ articles.