CHENNAI, INDIA – FEBRUARY 26: Arshdeep Singh of India celebrates the wicket of Ryan Burl of Zimbabwe during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Super 8 match between India and Zimbabwe at MA Chidambaram Stadium on February 26, 2026 in Chennai, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

TimesofIndia.com in Chennai: Moments before entering the stadium, India head coach Gautam Gambhir was following the live stream of West Indies vs South Africa on his phone. The fixture carried a lot of weight, and a West Indies win could have ended India’s campaign before they took the field against Zimbabwe in Chennai on Thursday. The stakes were high and not only the coach, sitting in his usual front seat on the team bus, but the entire group was tracking the developments in Ahmedabad. The Aulakhs were no different and remained an animated bunch in the team hotel as Darshan Singh Aulakh, Arshdeep’s father, didn’t mince his words every time a West Indies batter went big.“My family was in the room and when the West Indies batters were hitting, papa gaali dete the ki kya kar raha hai (father was abusing what are they doing). So I was like, it’s okay, don’t be angry and just enjoy the match and hope South Africa win and we also win our remaining matches. If we play good cricket, the result will take care of itself. Well played to them and thank you to them as well for giving us the chance to decide our result. They played well and now we will try to beat them in the finals,” said Arshdeep Singh in the mixed-zone media interaction.

The West Indies had a terrible start with the bat but bounced back, raising some tension in the Indian camp too. Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd’s late onslaught pushed the total from 83/7 to 176/8, and the late fireworks were enough to keep the Men in Blue glued to the action nearly 2,000 kilometres away. India were in a must-win situation in the Super Eight but they surrendered complete control after an ordinary outing against South Africa, which severely damaged their net run-rate. A West Indies win would have kept them mathematically alive but the required outcome would have been far from reachable. Hardik Pandya also revealed that they were “keeping an eye,” but focus quickly shifted to their own game once the result came in their favour.

CHENNAI, INDIA – FEBRUARY 26: Hardik Pandya of India plays a shot during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Super 8 match between India and Zimbabwe at MA Chidambaram Stadium on February 26, 2026 in Chennai, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

“We all were keeping an eye. You know, now it’s all about playing good cricket, backing your skill set, you know, kind of absorbing the pressure and making sure that you put the best foot forward. We were keeping the eye, but at the same point of time, once the game got over, we focused on the fact that this is our game. We need to focus on this,” said Hardik after winning the man of the match for his all-round performance vs Zimbabwe.South Africa’s clinical run-chase returned control to their zone, and the focus shifted back to playing good cricket as they walked out in front of a noisy crowd at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Whistles weren’t allowed but the regular chants and self-instructed Mexican waves kept the atmosphere lively while the two teams battled it out in the middle. The chants of “Abhishek ko bowling do,” “Tilak ko bowling do” got noisier when mere formalities were left and even the players engaged with the crowd to keep the spirits high in the stands. Tilak played along and instructed the crowd to ask Surya for bowling, rolling his arm over as a signal too. The mood in the camp seemed good and the confidence from a strong batting performance was reflected in their movements on the field during the defence. The entire group chose to keep things simple and focussed on returning to the brand of cricket they have played in the bilaterals preceding the multi-nation tournament.

CHENNAI, INDIA – FEBRUARY 26: Tilak Varma of India plays a shot during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Super 8 match between India and Zimbabwe at MA Chidambaram Stadium on February 26, 2026 in Chennai, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

“After the last game, we just as a team and Gautam sir also said the same thing that whatever the situation, just remind what brand of cricket we played since last year and also the New Zealand series and South Africa series the way we played. So whatever the situation, as individuals, just go out there and smile and enjoy the game. At the same point, just look at the team, what the team needs. “Whenever you just see what the team needs, then you won’t be under pressure. You always look at the situation, how the wicket is going, all these things come into the mind. You won’t see as an individual like I should score runs, all this just goes off from the mind. So that’s what we discussed and as an individual we are just focusing on what the team needs and at the end of the day we have done well,” said Tilak at the post-match presser.Tilak has had starts in the tournament but has lacked fluency, especially intent, in the middle-overs. Because Sanju Samson moved to the top of the order, Ishan Kishan dropped to No. 3, forcing the left-hander to change batting positions and face the challenge of batting at a different number in a completely different situation. From anchoring the previous fixtures, his role shifted to that of the bludgeoner in the death overs, and he played his part perfectly. Coming into bat at 172/4 in the 15th over, Tilak combined with his Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya to accumulate 84 runs off just 31 deliveries, ultimately scoring 44 off only 16 deliveries. It wasn’t a role he had played before and his happy to bat wherever the situation and team demands.

“I always say that whatever team needs, I’m up for it. So I’ve done the same role since the last four years in IPL for the Mumbai Indians, and also I’ve done a few games for the Indian team. So I’m up for it. Whatever the team needs, I’m up. And according to the situation, I can adjust. But as I said before I was just waiting for one innings. So I am really grateful to God for that. The right time it has been given, but I am up for it. I am pretty confident now that going forward I can win the games for the team,” Tilak explained.India’s next fixture against the West Indies at the Eden Gardens is a virtual quarter-final but the mood in the dressing room and hotel rooms, is expected to be relaxed leading up to the must-win clash. Thanks to South Africa and then later to a clinical performance with both bat and ball against Zimbabwe.

Hardik Pandya, left, celebrates his fifty with Tilak Varma. (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: India’s T20 World Cup campaign roared back to life in emphatic fashion as they crushed Zimbabwe by 72 runs in a virtual knockout, a performance that earned glowing praise from batting legend Sachin Tendulkar. Hailing the team’s character under pressure, Tendulkar declared that “must-win games reveal temperament” after India piled up their highest-ever total in T20 World Cup history.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Reeling from a crushing 76-run defeat to South Africa in Ahmedabad that left their net run rate in tatters, India responded with authority. Asked to bat first, they unleashed their most fearless brand of cricket, racing to 256/4 in 20 overs — the highest total of this edition. It was not about one monumental individual score, but collective intent. Every batter in the top order struck at over 150, marking the first instance of the top six scoring 20-plus at such a rate in a T20 World Cup innings.

In a post on X, Tendulkar wrote: “Must-win games reveal temperament. 256 revealed plenty! Highest total of this T20 World Cup, and what stood out was the intent throughout the game today. Well played, India, take this rhythm into the next game. Congratulations to Zimbabwe as well on a great tournament!”Half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma (55 off 30) and Hardik Pandya (50 not out off 23), along with Tilak Varma’s blazing unbeaten 44 off 16, powered India’s assault. Zimbabwe fought bravely in reply, finishing at 184/6. Brian Bennett dazzled with an unbeaten 97 off 59, while Sikandar Raza chipped in with 31. Arshdeep Singh (3/24) led India’s bowling effort.Skipper Suryakumar Yadav admitted the bowling could have been “a little more clinical” but lauded the batting display as “heartening.” He revealed the team consciously blocked out the noise after the South Africa loss, drawing confidence from a season-long performance review prepared by the analysts.With a decisive clash against West Indies looming in Kolkata, India have rediscovered belief — and as Tendulkar noted, their temperament when it mattered most.

Indian cricket team (ANI)

India did not just win on Thursday night, they produced one of the most complete batting performances in their T20 World Cup history. The 256 for four against Zimbabwe was their highest total in the tournament and it came with 17 sixes, the joint most India have hit in a T20 World Cup innings, going past the 15 they struck against Australia in Gros Islet in 2024. India have now smashed 63 sixes in this edition, their highest in a single World Cup, with only West Indies on 66 ahead of them overall.What stood out even more was the collective intent. All six Indian batters scored at a strike rate above 150, the first time in T20 World Cup history that six or more players have scored 20-plus runs at that tempo in the same innings. There were only 26 dot balls in the entire 20 overs, equalling the fewest in a completed innings at the tournament. The pressure never dipped and Zimbabwe were forced to chase leather almost throughout.Abhishek Sharma set the tone. After three ducks following his return from illness, he found his rhythm with a 26-ball fifty that reignited India’s charge. Sanju Samson provided early fluency, Ishan Kishan kept the momentum intact and then Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma delivered the knockout blows. Pandya powered his way to an unbeaten fifty, while Tilak, who had faced questions over his strike rate, hammered 44 off 16 balls at a strike rate of 275. India scored 80 runs in the final five overs to put the game out of reach.Zimbabwe had their own highlight through Brian Bennett’s unbeaten 97, the second highest individual score against India in T20 World Cups after Chris Gayle’s 98 in 2010. Bennett’s assault included a 26-run over off Shivam Dube, whose 46 runs conceded in his first two overs became the most by a bowler at that stage of a T20 World Cup match.In the larger picture, this was India rediscovering their attacking identity after a heavy defeat to South Africa. The sixes, the strike rates and the minimal dot balls all reflected a team that recalibrated quickly and struck back with authority, keeping their semifinal hopes alive in emphatic fashion.

Churchill Brothers FC were initially crowned champions by the AIFF

New Delhi: Indian Super League (ISL) clubs have jointly rejected the proposal floated by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to include Churchill Brothers in the ongoing season. The clubs have argued that such a move, with the 2025-26 season underway, will be “inconsistent with merit-based participation and undermines competitive integrity.”“Given that this issue was previously deliberated upon and aligned in discussions with the AIFF, we are unclear on the basis for reopening the matter,” the clubs said in a letter to the national federation.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“The ISL 2025–26 league structure is closed and final. It forms the basis of existing sporting, operational, financial and contractual commitments. No expansion or alteration is acceptable at this stage.”On Wednesday, AIFF had written to 12 ISL clubs – excluding FC Goa and Sporting Club Delhi – and sought their consent to include the Goan club into the campaign. FC Goa and SC Delhi had already agreed to inclusion of Churchill Brothers but had added a caveat that they would abide by the decision of the majority of the clubs.

“In any event, as the overwhelming majority of participating clubs do not consent to any expansion, and as the Federation retains regulatory authority over league composition, this matter ought to be treated as closed,” continued the latest communication from the clubs to AIFF.The letter from AIFF to the ISL clubs, signed by deputy secertary-general Satyanarayan M, referenced the messages from SC Delhi and FC Goa on February 13 – a day before the much-delayed and truncated season got underway.Churchill Brothers’ desperate plea to be included in the ISL had earlier been questioned by the 14 ISL clubs on February 11. A day later, the AIFF Executive Committee had also quashed the proposal.The issue stems from last season’s controversy in the I-League where Churchill were declared provisional winners of the 2024-25 season. However, Inter Kashi, who were docked points during the season, were successful in getting that decision overturned by going to the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS). Consequently, Inter Kashi were promoted to the top division where they have already played two matches and drawn both.

India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan, part of the squad that won the ICC World T20, has urged the Men in Blue to prioritise winning their upcoming T20 World Cup matches rather than worrying about net-run-rate calculations ahead of the crucial clash against Zimbabwe. Pathan also suggested that captain Suryakumar Yadav could bat at number three to provide balance to a top order dominated by left-handers.India’s title defence has reached a tense stage. After a record 76-run victory over South Africa – the defending champions now face a tricky path. They must rely on South Africa remaining unbeaten while securing wins against Zimbabwe and the West Indies to keep their tournament hopes alive.

If that scenario falters, net-run-rate could decide India’s fate. With the West Indies boasting a net-run-rate above +5 and South Africa over +3, India’s negative net-run-rate makes it highly unlikely for them to catch up. Even a single slip by the Proteas could end India’s campaign.Speaking on JioStar’s Follow the Blues, Pathan said, “I really hope that approach of playing for net run-rate does not come into play at the start of the game. The priority should be winning the game first. So, perform well and try to win. Only then should you think about the run-rate. If you start thinking about chasing the net run-rate of, say, the West Indies, that is almost impossible. That would mean beating teams like Zimbabwe and the West Indies by a margin of 100 runs, which is not easy in T20 cricket. So, I sincerely hope that when the Indian team plays these next two matches, the main focus is simply on winning first.”India’s top order has been heavily left-hand dominated, with Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Tilak Varma leading the charge. While Ishan has shown glimpses of form, Abhishek has struggled, scoring just 15 runs across four innings, including three ducks. Tilak has made 107 runs in five innings but at a strike rate just over 118, falling short of India’s usual explosive T20 style. Both Abhishek and Ishan have struggled against off-spin.Pathan also explained the cautious approach adopted by Yadav, whose strike rate in the mid-130s reflects the lack of dependable support at the top. Yet he believes moving the skipper to number three could provide balance and reduce the dominance of left-handers.“I think Surya can bat at number three. From the team’s perspective, I understand the conservative approach, especially because Abhishek has been getting out early. In the last game, Ishan Kishan got out in the first over. You do not want to expose Suryakumar Yadav at number three when he is so effective in the middle overs, striking at 160. If something goes wrong with the new ball, just one good delivery can get him out. So, I understand the thinking. However, they still need to consider batting Suryakumar Yadav at number three to break the monotony of having three left-handers at the top.”

Hubballi: Jammu and Kashmir’s Auqib Nabi (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)

Hubballi: A surface that had appeared lifeless for most of the first two days sprang to life on Thursday, not because of any change in conditions, but due to the quality of bowling. Unlike Karnataka’s attack, which needed 173.1 overs to dismiss Jammu and Kashmir for an imposing 584 in the first innings, the visitors required just 48.2 overs and 235 minutes to remove half of the home side’s batting line-up. At stumps on Day 3 of the Ranji Trophy final at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium here, Karnataka were 220/5 in 69 overs, thanks largely to an unbeaten 130 from opener Mayank Agarwal. The eight-time champions, trailing by 364 runs, now require a monumental batting effort from the remaining line-up to stay in contention. The J&K bowlers, on their part, made the red cherry swing, bowled on the stumps and off the seam. They ticked boxes which the more experienced Karnataka line-up failed even to see. Leading the charge was strike bowler Auqib Nabi (3/32), who combined accuracy with intensity. When the battle lines for the title tilt were drawn, much of the discussion had centred on Nabi’s duel with a Karnataka top order that has four Test batters in the mix, and the seamer lived up to expectations. In a decisive passage of play spanning four overs on either side of lunch, Nabi removed KL Rahul, Karun Nair and the season’s highest run-getter R Smaran, each dismissal coming off deliveries that extracted life from an otherwise docile surface. Opening the bowling, Nabi immediately put Rahul under pressure with probing full-length deliveries, occasionally mixing in the short ball. Rahul needed 15 deliveries to get off the mark before briefly finding rhythm with two boundaries off Sunil Kumar. Nabi eventually had the last word, producing a delivery that moved late to take a faint edge through to wicketkeeper Kanhaiya Wadhawan. Sunil struck soon after, dismissing Karnataka skipper Devdutt Padikkal. Rooted to the crease, Padikkal poked tentatively outside off stump, and Abdul Samad completed the catch in the slips. Karun Nair followed almost immediately, falling to a peach of a delivery. Nabi angled one in sharply and Karun misjudged the line, the ball crashing into his off stump. Nabi then completed a devastating spell by removing Smaran, whose uncertain push at a back-of-a-length delivery resulted in an outside edge that Wadhawan safely pouched. Reduced to 57/4, Karnataka were firmly on the back foot, and the packed stadium went silent, barring the celebrations and chirping from the J&K side. Amid the collapse, Mayank stood tall. The opener remained composed despite the carnage around him and focused on the long task ahead. More assured than his teammates, he countered the swing by getting well forward and worked the ball into gaps to ease the pressure on the scoreboard. Shreyas Gopal (27) provided support in a steady partnership before being trapped leg before wicket by Yudhvir Singh. Wicketkeeper Kruthik Krishna (27 batting) then joined Mayank, and the pair ensured Karnataka reached stumps without further damage. With a massive first-innings deficit still looming, the home team’s hopes hinge on whether Mayank and the lower order can pull off a heist. Earlier, J&K, who started the day at 527/6, added 57 runs to their tally before being dismissed for 584. Pacer Prasidh Krishna finished with a five-wicket haul (5/98).

J&K’s Auqib Nabi (PTI Photo/Manvender Vashist Lav)

Hubballi: Auqib Nabi — a name that has echoed across the Indian domestic circuit over the past couple of seasons — is one the Karnataka camp will want to forget in a hurry.The 29-year-old seamer from Baramulla ripped through Karnataka’s formidable batting line-up on Thursday, pushing Jammu & Kashmir to the brink of a historic maiden Ranji Trophy title. Nabi, however, played down his heroics, insisting that his approach was based on keeping things simple, even if his bowling proved anything but.

With pronounced swing, late movement and the ability to hit the seam consistently with a strong wrist position, Nabi kept Karnataka’s leading run-getters under relentless pressure on Day 3 of the final.Coming into the title contest with 55 wickets this season — including 21 across the quarterfinal and semifinal — Nabi is two wicket short to surpass Uttarakhand spinner Mayank Mishra (59 wickets) to become the leading wicket taker of the competition.Outlining his approach, Nabi said the J&K attack operated with a collective plan.“In our team, all of us follow the same plan, sticking to a particular line and length. Even if the batters try to go after us, we continue to bowl in the same channel,” he explained.Much of the build-up to the final centred on Nabi’s anticipated contest with KL Rahul, and the seamer acknowledged the attention surrounding the duel.“I was confident because I have been taking wickets. I went in with a positive frame of mind and just wanted to keep it simple. Before the match, I got a lot of messages about getting Rahul out, but I just wanted to bowl in a good channel and not focus on the batter,” he said.Nabi emphasised the importance of wrist position in generating movement, a technical aspect that has become central to his success.“Wrist position is very important. If you have a straight wrist, everything else becomes easier. The ball moves with the wrist, so a straight wrist is very important for a fast bowler,” he said.With the visitors now within touching distance of their first Ranji Trophy triumph, anticipation is building. Prominent personalities from J&K are expected to arrive in Hubballi on Friday on what could be the eve of a historic moment.For Nabi, the possibility of lifting the trophy represents the fulfilment of a long-held ambition.“When I represented J&K for the first time, it was my dream to win a trophy, especially in red-ball cricket. Growing up, I always knew we hadn’t won a trophy, so this means a lot,” he said.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (ICC Photo)

NEW DELHI: Strike rate 331.58. Seven fours. Five sixes. That is not just a stat line — it is a statement. And it had the unmistakable stamp of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi all over it. The young India star once again lived up to his reputation of taking bowlers apart from the very first ball, hammering a breathtaking 19-ball 63 for DY Patil Blue against Indian Navy in the ongoing DY Patil T20 Cup. With IPL 2026 just over a month away, the timing of this assault could not have been more ominous.

Chasing 220, Vaibhav wasted no time settling in. Sixteen runs came off the first four deliveries he faced. By the end of just 12 balls, he was already on 43 — bowlers scrambling, fielders scattered, and the tempo of the game firmly hijacked.His half-century arrived in the fifth over — a six followed by a four — in just 14 deliveries. He added another towering maximum before walking back for 63 off 19 balls, striking at a staggering 331.58.For those who have followed his rise, this is hardly surprising.Vaibhav first shook the IPL in 2025 when he blasted a 35-ball hundred against Gujarat Titans, becoming the youngest centurion in the league’s history and the fastest Indian to a century in the tournament. That innings announced the arrival of a new-age aggressor — fearless, unapologetic, and relentlessly attacking.His dominance continued in the Under-19 circuit. In 25 Youth ODIs, he piled up 1,412 runs at an average of 56.48 and a remarkable strike rate of 165.72. Four centuries and seven fifties followed, including a stunning 175 off just 80 balls in the U19 World Cup final — an innings that sealed India’s triumph.Even off the field, Vaibhav has done things differently. He made headlines for skipping his Class X board exams to prioritise cricket — a decision that now seems vindicated by the numbers.In 18 T20s so far, he has amassed 701 runs at a strike rate of 204.37, crossing 150 in 12 innings — a testament to his consistency in high-tempo cricket.At the DY Patil T20 Cup, he simply carried that momentum forward.While Kuwar Pathak’s 87 and Nitin Tanwar’s unbeaten 57 powered Indian Navy to 220, the spotlight inevitably swung back to Vaibhav. Yash Dhull (12 off 8), Sarfaraz Khan (27 off 19), Shashank Singh (20 off 12), Anand Bais (35* off 24) and Arjun Tendulkar (55* off 29) all chipped in — but it was Vaibhav’s blitz that set the tone.And if this was meant to be a warm-up ahead of IPL 2026, bowlers across franchises would be watching closely.Also See: IND vs ZIM Live Score

West Indies’ Sherfane Rutherford walks off the field after his dismissal during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between West Indies and South Africa, at Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad. (PTI Photo)

South Africa moved closer to a semifinal spot in the T20 World Cup with a commanding nine-wicket win over West Indies in their Super 8 match on Thursday at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, extending their unbeaten run in the tournament.The Proteas combined disciplined bowling with controlled batting to register their sixth straight win, while ending West Indies’ unbeaten streak. The two points also strengthened India’s position in the group, as a South Africa loss would have complicated the hosts’ qualification scenario.

The defeat also impacted the West Indies’ net run rate, which dropped to 1.791 from 5.350.After being asked to bat, West Indies were reduced to 83 for 7 as Kagiso Rabada (2/22) and Lungi Ngidi (3/30) ran through West Indies’ top and middle order. A lower-order partnership between Jason Holder (49 off 31) and Romario Shepherd (52 not out off 37) added 89 runs for the eighth wicket, helping the side recover to 176 for 8.In reply, South Africa chased down the target in 16.1 overs. Captain Aiden Markram remained unbeaten on 82, while Quinton de Kock made 47 and Ryan Rickelton scored 45 not out.The chase was set up in the powerplay itself, where South Africa scored 69 runs in six overs. De Kock and Markram added 95 runs in 7.5 overs, striking 16 boundaries, including six sixes. De Kock hit four sixes and four fours in his 24-ball innings before being caught by Holder at long-on. Markram brought up his fifty with a single off Gudakesh Motie and later shared an unbeaten 82-run stand with Rickelton. He finished the match with a straight boundary off Holder.“We actually bowled pretty well, obviously the powerplay was a big thing for us, to get off nicely. The partnership with Quinny [set things up],” said Markram, who was named Player of the Match.“The second innings was good to bat on, it was slightly tacky early on and the guys bowled pretty well early on.”Earlier, West Indies had started quickly. Shai Hope (16 off 6) hit Keshav Maharaj for two sixes and a four, while Brandon King (21 off 11) attacked Marco Jansen as the side reached 29 in just over two overs.Rabada removed Hope, caught behind while fishing outside off. Shimron Hetmyer (2) was dropped by Corbin Bosch at mid-on but was dismissed three balls later, miscued off Rabada. Ngidi then dismissed King and Roston Chase (2) in the fourth over, leaving West Indies at 44 for 4.Sherfane Rutherford (12) hit Bosch for a six but fell next ball, top-edging to de Kock. Ngidi’s third wicket was Rovman Powell (9), reducing the side to 71 for 6. Matthew Forde (11) later fell to Bosch after hitting a six.Holder and Shepherd then rebuilt. Holder struck 22 runs in one over off Jansen before being run out off the penultimate ball of the innings. Shepherd carried on to ensure a competitive total.“Losing so many wickets in the powerplay cost us. We were 40-50 short. Must commend the guys in the bottom half for giving us a chance, never know things could have changed,” Hope said.“The way we play our cricket, there will be a loss, aim was to get it out early. Next game will be quarter-final.”

Indian cricket team (ANI)

With India gearing up for a must-win ICC Men’s T20 World Cup clash against Zimbabwe in Chennai, former cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra has urged the team to return to their fearless, attacking approach if they are to keep their semi-final hopes alive.The MA Chidambaram Stadium is set for a high-pressure evening, with India not only needing victory but also a sizeable margin to boost their net run-rate.

Speaking on JioHotstar, Chopra analysed India’s qualification scenario and pointed out the challenges ahead.On India’s road to the semi-finals, he said, “The tricky problem for India is they need to win both of their remaining Super Eight matches, and they will also be hoping that South Africa win their games against West Indies and Zimbabwe. But if that does not happen, then the net run-rate comes into play.”Chopra emphasised that if qualification comes down to net run-rate, India must rediscover their attacking mindset. He believes captain Suryakumar Yadav has a key role to play in that shift.“That is when India will need to bring out their explosive brand of cricket. Suryakumar Yadav is the man for that role. He needs to bat at three and bat with freedom. Against South Africa, I felt he was too slow. By the time he got out, the mountain was too high for others to climb,” he said.Chopra also raised concerns about India’s current batting pattern, suggesting it lacks balance and clarity.“India have batters at the top who go hammer and tongs from ball one and lose their wicket. That puts the team in tricky situations. Then the batters who come in after are too cautious and conservative. They start eating deliveries regardless of the pitch, conditions or the bowler. They play the situation completely and fall behind in the game.”He further pointed out that this measured approach is a departure from the fearless cricket India have showcased in recent years.“This is not the brand of cricket India have played in the last two years. They took pride in saying we hammer teams and score 250, 260 or 270. But Suryakumar Yadav and his men have perhaps forgotten that formula. The template now is to score just 180-190. That is good enough on some days, but good teams chase those totals easily. India need to bring back their aggressive brand of cricket. If they don’t, their hopes of making the semi-finals could be in trouble,” he concluded.With their campaign hanging in the balance, India must deliver a commanding performance against Zimbabwe to stay in contention for a semi-final spot.