Will Abhishek Sharma play tonight for IND vs ZIM in Super 8 clash of T20 World Cup 2026?

Abhishek Sharma is under tremendous pressure going into India’s second Super 8 game of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in Chennai

India’s ICC T20 World Cup 2026 campaign hit a rough patch after the co-hosts suffered a heavy 76-run defeat to South Africa in the Super 8. This result suddenly put enormous pressure on every remaining game in the group. The Men in Blue now face Zimbabwe at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Thursday, February 26. They simply cannot afford to lose this match.

Suryakumar Yadav’s side look vulnerable at the top of the order, even though they cruised through the group stage. The middle order has mostly carried the batting throughout the tournament. Right now, India need their frontline players to step up. They can no longer rely on late-order cameos to save the day.

Abhishek Sharma has had a miserable run in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. He scored three ducks in a row during the group stage. He then managed just 15 runs off 12 balls against South Africa. Even so, the southpaw is still number one in the ICC Men’s T20I rankings. He earned this spot during a great 2025 season. Back then, his 191.25 strike rate and constant run-scoring built up a huge lead in the points standings.

On top of that, opponents have found a clear hole in his leg-side game. They have cramped him for space so he can’t swing his arms. This tactic took away Abhishek Sharma’s best weapon in the powerplay. Still, the coaching staff completely trusts his ability to find his form again.

Reasons why Abhishek Sharma will play the IND vs ZIM game

There are three main reasons to pick Abhishek against Zimbabwe. To start with, Captain Suryakumar Yadav publicly backed him before the South Africa game. He said he felt a big score from the opener was just around the corner.

Also, Abhishek actually hit his first T20I hundred against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club. That happened on his debut in 2024. This history means he feels comfortable against this specific team. Finally, Zimbabwe’s bowlers aren’t quite consistent enough. They will possibly struggle to stick to a tight leg-stump plan for six straight overs. This takes away the main strategy that tripped him up in earlier games.

Other tactical adjustments India might make for IND vs ZIM

When it comes to team changes, India could try shuffling the batting order. India have struggled against off-spin all tournament. Bringing in right-hander should balance things out.

Abhishek should target the third-man and fine-leg areas early on instead of just trying to smash everything over the leg side. That approach fits the Chepauk pitch better. Finally, the fast bowlers should stick to a short-ball plan. Axar Patel can also use his left-arm spin to bowl into the breeze. These moves will break Zimbabwe’s middle order quickly. This should give India the big win they need for their net run rate.

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