Opener Abhishek Sharma and Hardik Pandya hit blistering fifties as India reached 256-4 against Zimbabwe in the T20 World Cup Super Eights on Thursday, the second highest total in the history of the tournament.
Left-handed Abhishek, who had struggled with three ducks in four innings in this tournament, hit a 30-ball 55 before Pandya finished on an unbeaten 50 in Chennai.
Pandya and left-handed Tilak Varma, who hit a 16-ball 44, put on an unbeaten stand of 84 to make India overhaul West Indies' 254-6 against the same opposition on Monday.
A display of sheer power from Hardik Pandya takes him to a superb fifty against Zimbabwe💪
— ICC (@ICC) February 26, 2026
It is one of the @marriottbonvoy Milestones of the #T20WorldCup 2026.
📝: https://t.co/XB78VZ8s3p pic.twitter.com/W6UkteI2l8
Only Sri Lanka, who made 260-6 against Kenya in 2007, have scored more in a T20 World Cup match.
India need to win both their remaining matches in the Super Eights to qualify for the semifinals after they suffered a big defeat against South Africa.
Defeat for Zimbabwe will guarantee a place in the last four for South Africa, who beat the West Indies by nine wickets earlier on Thursday.
Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson returned to the team to break the left-handed opening combination of Abhishek and Ishan Kishan and handed India a flying start with fours and sixes.
Samson fell for 24 off Blessing Muzarabani in the next over but Abhishek kept up the charge until spin was introduced and Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza attempted to pull things back.
Abhishek reached his fifty off 26 balls as he put on 72 runs with Kishan.
Abhishek Sharma comes to the party for India with his first-ever fifty in a #T20WorldCup👏
— ICC (@ICC) February 26, 2026
It is one of the @marriottbonvoy Milestones of the tournament.
📝: https://t.co/XB78VZ8s3p pic.twitter.com/h04UJPp8du
Offspinner Raza broke the stand to get Kishan caught at short third-man for 38.
Abhishek fell to Tinotenda Maposa caught at long-on but his knock lay the platform for India's strong finish.
ZIMBABWE: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wkt), Dion Myers, Sikander Raza (capt), Ryan Burl, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Tinotenda Maposa, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani.
INDIA: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wkt), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Bube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.