India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Suryakumar Yadav (ANI Photo)

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has taken a swipe at head coach Gautam Gambhir following India’s crushing 76-run defeat to South Africa national cricket team in their Super 8 opener of the T20 World Cup in Ahmedabad. The loss, the heaviest ever for India in T20 World Cup history, has pushed the defending champions to the edge of elimination and severely dented their net run rate. Widely backed to become the first side to successfully defend a T20 World Cup crown, the Suryakumar Yadav-led outfit now face must-win games to stay alive in the tournament.

Manjrekar questioned several tactical decisions, particularly the elevation of Washington Sundar to No. 5 during India’s unsuccessful chase of 188 after early wickets. The move came after Sundar was preferred over vice-captain Axar Patel, a selection that had already sparked debate, though team management described it as a tactical call. Speaking on Stump Mic on CNN-News18, Manjrekar used a pointed analogy to describe Sundar’s expanding role in the XI. “Kailas Jeevan, there used to be a medicine by that name back in the day. If you had a headache, you would use it. If you had a stomach issue, you would take it. It was an all-in-one remedy. Gautam Gambhir seems to have an all-in-one solution for everything too, Washington Sundar,” Manjrekar said on CNN-News18’s Stump Mic while analysing India’s batting performance. “If there’s a batting problem, Washi. If there’s a bowling problem, Washi. He was promoted up the order to No. 5 today, and then Rinku Singh and Hardik Pandya walked in at No. 7. It was just too much,” he added. South Africa capitalised on India’s vulnerability against changes of pace, with Lungi Ngidi troubling the batters through well-disguised slower deliveries. Manjrekar stressed that this area requires urgent attention, singling out captain Suryakumar Yadav. “Forget fast bowling, focus on playing the slower balls. They are not able to handle slower balls or spinners. The captain is struggling the most against slower deliveries,” he said. India now turn their focus to a decisive clash against Zimbabwe national cricket team. Not only must they win to keep their semi-final hopes intact, but they will also need a comprehensive victory to repair the damage inflicted on their net run rate in Ahmedabad.

Pakistan’s Usman Tariq drops a catch of England’s Jacob Bethell during the T20 World Cup cricket match between England and Pakistan in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo)

England became the first side to confirm a semi-final berth at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after defeating Pakistan on Tuesday, whose qualification hopes have suffered a setback.Following a loss to England and a washout against New Zealand, Pakistan no longer control their own path to the last four. With England already through, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand are left competing for the remaining semi-final place from group 2.England began their Super 8 campaign with a 51-run win over Sri Lanka in Kandy on Sunday and followed it up with another victory over Pakistan at the same venue on Tuesday. Captain Harry Brook led the effort, scoring his first T20I century to take his team home. He also became the first captain to register a hundred in T20 World Cup history.

Scenarios for Pakistan to enter semifinal

If New Zealand win both their remaining matches against Sri Lanka and England, Pakistan will be eliminated, even if they beat Sri Lanka.If New Zealand lose both games, Pakistan will qualify with a win over Sri Lanka. In case New Zealand lose one match, Pakistan will still have a chance, but qualification could depend on Net Run Rate.Pakistan were denied a Net Run Rate boost after losing to England in the final over. They had reduced England to 58/4 in the eighth over while defending 166, but could not close out the game.Brook, promoted to No. 3, rebuilt the innings with Sam Curran in a 45-run stand and then added 52 runs with Will Jacks, shifting the contest in England’s favour. He reached his maiden T20I hundred with a six over cover followed by a four through mid-off.By the time Brook was out, England were 155/6 and close to the target. However, they lost three wickets for six runs, adding tension late in the chase. Needing three runs in the final over with two wickets in hand, Jofra Archer finished the match by pulling a delivery through mid-wicket for four.

Sanju Samson during an India net session at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. (Getty Images)

TimesofIndia.com in Chennai: The stakes are high. The remaining Super Eight matches are must-win games, contingent on South Africa’s results going in their favour. The situation wasn’t this desperate but the “worst game in the last two years” has now put the Indian cricket team in a tight spot ahead of clash against Zimbabwe in Chennai. The last five matches showed the defending champions were tactically predictable due to an overdose of left-handers. Ever since the debacle in Ahmedabad on Sunday, calls to add a right-hander have only grown louder. Not that Sanju Samson is the answer to all problems but he gives you a tactical edge and could well force the oppositions to move away from the predictable off-spinner plan.The wicketkeeper-batter had a long hit in the nets on Tuesday and strong Playing XI hint emerged when he donned the big gloves for the drills towards the fag end of the session. He faced a mix of pace and spin during the marathon hit and grew more confident as he played against Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar. India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said after the South Africa game that Samson would be a talking point in the next few days and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak confirmed that the discussions have revolved around the right-hander. Kotak, however, kept the Playing XI cards close to his chest.

“There can be changes, yes. It goes without saying that we discussed, because there are two lefty openers, number three is also left-handed and opposition is bowling off-spin. I personally don’t think that there is any problem there also. But because we lost wicket in first over, obviously any team would think. So we are thinking and we will see how it goes because we never decide the team too early and obviously it is not fair to start telling your plannings also in so advance. But yes, definitely there will be thoughts,” said Kotak on eve of the match.If Sanju returns to the India XI, it will balance the left-right issue, but the entry points for the middle order, especially the firing lower-order, led by Shivam Dube, could become interesting for the remaining two games. Dropping Tilak Varma for Samson and moving Ishan Kishan to No. 3 could have been another option but Kotak’s backing for the left-hander didn’t point in that direction. This is despite a sorry showing this tournament – 107 runs in five innings at a strike-rate of 118.88. Kotak supported Tilak and watched over him during the side’s optional practice session in the afternoon.

Tilak Varma during an India net session at MA Chidambaram Stadium. (Getty Images)

“Tilak has no such issues. In the Pakistan game, our target was good. I said earlier that 175 on that wicket was good enough. And we followed the planning. Because the same thing – and there the ball was actually spinning. And after that start, any team wouldn’t want is 3-4 wickets to go at once. So Tilak… it is a matter of two boundaries. Sometimes a batsman doesn’t get those balls. If he is at 34-35 in 30 – 32 balls or at 26 in 28 balls – if he gets one or two boundaries and a six, he will be at 38.“So I don’t think it is a question of run a ball. Neither he has any such instruction, neither he himself is thinking like that. Sometimes depending on wickets and depending on situation, I think there was more about partnerships in that game in Colombo and I think we achieved that. Yes, if Hardik had clicked more, who got out on the first ball, then we were hoping for 190 and we knew that was above par score and everyone knows that. So, there is no such tension of Tilak or Abhishek or even of losing one match.”The other talking point would be Rinku Singh and his place in the playing XI. The left-hander has had mediocre returns in the tournament and missed both team training sessions due to a personal emergency. Although he is set to rejoin the side on Wednesday evening, holding on to the spot looks highly unlikely at this stage. This could leave management with another change. If Samson walks in with Tilak holding his spot, the two players on their way out could well be Rinku Singh and Washington Sundar, making room for all-rounder and vice-captain Axar Patel.

Axar Patel (L) is slated to come into the India XI vs Zimbabwe in Chennai. (PTI)

It will be interesting to see what kind of batting order they opt for but adding a right-hander in the mix gives them a tactical edge — something that has indeed been a talking point recently.“The discussions, to be very honest, if I tell you, it is more about tactical. A lot of tactical discussion goes on, the guys are bowling here, this is how we are approaching, this is how you are approaching, what other options you have for any batsman. Not just for Tilak, for Abhishek also, if you would have seen yesterday, it was the same thing we talked. So those things are more about planning, what a batsman can prepare and how much he actually wants to do that because end of the day it is batsman’s thing to decide what he likes, what he wants to do. But to give different ideas is obviously our job,” explained Kotak.Apart from lacking the fire and confidence of the preceding bilaterals, India have been tactically questionable. Thursday presents an opportunity not only to address that but also to find the XI which can help them cover all bases, and stay ahead of the opposition.

Suryakumar Yadav and Kuldeep Yadav (Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: India must stop overthinking match-ups and urgently return to selecting their best XI if they are to keep their T20 World Cup campaign alive, according to former Australia captain Ricky Ponting.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Following India’s crushing 76-run defeat to South Africa in the Super 8 stage, Ponting issued a blunt assessment ahead of their must-win clash against Zimbabwe in Chennai, urging the team management to simplify their approach.

“Listening to the commentary, the reason Axar didn’t play is because of the left-handers in the opposition side. But there’s still some right-handers there. It just comes down to the art of the captain of being able to use Axar at the right time,” Ponting said on The ICC Review.India’s decision to leave out Axar Patel raised eyebrows, especially with spin expected to play a major role on Indian surfaces. Ponting stressed that team balance must take priority over tactical match-up theories.“I would be going back to the basics. I’d be just looking at their lineup. Who’s our best XI for the conditions in Chennai?” he said.Ponting also threw his support behind bringing back wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, highlighting his ability to trouble all batters regardless of match-ups.“If it has Kuldeep Yadav in it, that’s the other one that I’d be thinking about bringing back because it doesn’t matter with him if it’s left-hand or right-hand. He can bowl wrong ones and spin the ball away from the outside edge.”Former India coach Ravi Shastri echoed similar views, insisting that experience and bowling depth were critical at this stage.“They have to bring him back. You need that experience,” Shastri said of Axar. “What you’re missing out on is that you’re not giving yourself that extra option of a bowler, which I think is important.”With their semi-final hopes hanging by a thread, India now face a simple but urgent task — pick their strongest XI and deliver immediately.

Axar Patel with teammates. (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: India’s crushing defeat to South Africa may have dented their semi-finals hopes, but former head coach Ravi Shastri believes the setback could be the “shake-up” the title favourites desperately needed — provided they respond immediately.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Speaking ahead of the must-win Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe, Shastri warned that another slip could push India to the brink of elimination.“You win 12 matches on the trot, there’s bound to be an off day. And I’m glad it has come early. It might just be the shakeup India needed,” Shastri said. “It might also make them rethink their strategy as to the composition of the side going ahead.”

India’s 76-run loss ended a dominant run and left them with no margin for error. Shastri made it clear that the team must quickly learn and adapt.“They would have learned from that last experience that they’re not going to take things for granted because in this Super Eight if you lose one more match, then you’re really putting yourself under serious pressure,” he cautioned.ALSO READ: What India must do to stay alive at T20 World CupAxar Patel’s return key to revivalShastri stressed that India must urgently strengthen their bowling options, calling for the immediate return of vice-captain Axar Patel.

“They have to bring him back. You need that experience. I would say play both,” he said, referring to Axar and Washington Sundar. “Give yourself that extra option. Because on a given day, you’re bound to have one bowler who’s going to have an off day.”He also dismissed concerns about batting depth if Axar returns.“If eight batters can’t do the job in T20 cricket, then something’s wrong, especially with that kind of firepower,” Shastri said. “Where you’re missing out is you’re not giving yourself that extra option of a bowler, which I think is important.”For India, the equation is simple now. The warning signs have arrived. The shake-up has happened. Their semi-final fate will depend on how quickly they respond.

India cricketers during a practice session. (Pic credit: BCCI)

NEW DELHI: The real World Cup has begun for India, and suddenly, nothing is in their control anymore. A crushing 76-run defeat to South Africa in Ahmedabad has pushed the hosts and defending champions into a virtual knockout phase, starting with their must-win Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe in Chennai on Thursday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The heavy loss, combined with West Indies’ massive 107-run win over Zimbabwe, has severely dented India’s semi-final hopes. More worrying than the defeat itself is the net run rate (NRR) damage. India’s NRR has plummeted to -3.800, leaving them far behind West Indies (+5.350) and South Africa (+3.800) in Group 1.With only two matches remaining, Suryakumar Yadav’s side not only need to win but win big — and hope other results go their way.

Must-win situation with NRR pressureIndia’s path is straightforward on paper but complicated in reality. They must beat both Zimbabwe and West Indies to reach four points. However, even two wins may not guarantee qualification if net run rate becomes the deciding factor in a three-way tie.If South Africa defeat West Indies and Zimbabwe, both South Africa and India will qualify. But if South Africa lose one match, and three teams finish level on four points, NRR will determine the semifinalists — an area where India currently trail badly.This makes India’s margin of victory crucial. A narrow win over Zimbabwe will not be enough; they need emphatic victories to repair the damage.

What India must do nowThe immediate focus will be on Zimbabwe in Chennai. A dominant win — potentially by 80-100 runs or more — could significantly improve India’s NRR and revive their chances.Their final Super 8 clash against West Indies in Kolkata on March 1 could then become a virtual quarterfinal.However, India’s fate will also depend on the South Africa-West Indies result. While those permutations remain out of their hands, India’s task is clear.For the defending champions, survival now depends not just on winning — but on winning big.

Abhishek Sharma during a warm-up session. (ANI Photo)

CHENNAI: There was a lot happening in the India nets at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday, from Rinku Singh’s absence — he has returned home to be with his ailing father — to Suryakumar Yadav’s two-hour, range-hitting session.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!That wasn’t all, however. As Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan went in to bat at two adjacent nets, Abhishek Sharma — India’s shining light of the top-order — chose to bowl left-arm spin.Batters came and went but Abhishek stood there beside the nets, talking to the spinners, trying to understand the turn that could be on offer from the black-soil pitch that will be used for the match against Zimbabwe on Thursday.

Finally, after almost 100 minutes of practice was over, Abhishek took up the bat. He didn’t play any of the Team India spinners or pacers, it was only the practice bowlers.Abhishek has been in wretched batting form after getting three ducks to start off. In the 12-ball 15 that he scored in Ahmedabad, there were seven false shots.Given the situation the team is in at the moment, it is highly unlikely that he will be dropped. Probably what the team management was trying to do was to allow him to play some not-so-good bowling, so that Abhishek could connect his shots and get some form and confidence back. As the nets were folding up, Abhishek batted for half-an-hour and did connect, coming up with the kind of the crisp shots he is known for.A few landed in the Chepauk stands as well as he tried to work on his game against off-spin, something that has been bothering him of late.

Rinku unlikely, maybe it’s Sanju time? Sundar likely to sit outAs Rinku’s absence was noticed and news filtered in that he had headed back home to be with his father, who is battling cancer, the left-hander’s possible alternatives came into focus.Axar Patel should walk into the squad given his versatility with bat and ball. In that case, if Sanju has to play, the only player that can miss out is Washington Sundar. Washington was picked for the South Africa game but didn’t exactly shine with the ball or bat. Sanju’s inclusion could also mean that Ishan Kishan comes in at No. 3, a position which isn’t exactly unfamiliar to him. That could force the likes of Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav to come down by a slot.Surya works on his range-hittingSurya’s strike-rate hasn’t exactly been spectacular. Against South Africa he scored a 22-ball 18 that pushed India back. Tuesday’s session suggested that he was trying to get his hitting range right. He was dismissed quite a few times by India’s front-line spinners at the nets, but that was not stopping him from going for his shots. ‘SKY’, quite clearly, is trying to come out of his shell and the Zimbabwe bowling on a batting friendly pitch may provide him with the opportunity.