Watch: Axar Patel dismisses Tadiwanashe Marumani for 20 in IND vs ZIM T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8s

In the previous T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 game for the Indian side, the management decided to keep Axar Patel, their left-arm spin all-rounder, on the bench due to a tactical change before he marked his return to the campaign against Zimbabwe in the second fixture at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

India made a good start to their defense against a massive score of 256 runs as none of the Zimbabwe openers, Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani, could free their arms and nail the big shots against the new ball bowling of the pacers before they smashed Varun Chakravarthy for a massive over to end the powerplay.

See Also: Watch: India smash 21 runs off Richard Ngarava’s 19th over in IND vs ZIM T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8s

Just after the initial drinks break, the Indian captain brought Axar Patel into the attack, and on the very second ball of the over, he drew the first blood with the wicket of Marumani for 20 runs. The southpaw couldn’t capitalize on the start and the life he got in the previous over.

Axar Patel removes Tadiwanashe Marumani in IND vs ZIM T20 WC 2026

It was a flat good length delivery outside the off stump as Marumani went on the back foot and cut. The ball was sliced as he didn’t look to keep it down, and Ishan Kishan grabbed a fine catch to dismiss the opening batter. Axar looked at the sky in his own celebration, perhaps after being dropped in the last game.

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Zimbabwe recovered a little when Brian Bennett went after Axar with one six and one four in the ninth over of the innings. The right-handed batter made his way to 43 runs in 29 balls with the help of four boundaries and a couple of sixes. Meanwhile, they lost Dion Myers at the other end against Chakravarthy.

Earlier in the game, India posted the second-highest T20 Team score of the World Cups, 256/4, after Abhishek Sharma and Hardik Pandya celebrated their respective aggressive half-centuries. The former got 55 runs in 30 balls while the all-rounder notched up an unbeaten 50 runs in 23 deliveries at a strike rate of 217.39, thanks to two fours and four sixes.

Brief Scores: India 254/6 (Abhishek Sharma 55, Hardik Pandya 50, Sikandar Raza 1/29) vs Zimbabwe 105/2 (Brian Bennett 56*, Varun Chakravarthy 1/23)