India secure big win over Zimbabwe to stay in hunt for semis, Bennett impresses with 97*

 

Abhishek’s Comeback Fifty, All-Round India Ease Past Zimbabwe; Proteas’ Favourable Result Adds to Suryavanshi’s Relief

Even before the match began, South Africa had already made life a lot easier for the Indian camp by defeating West Indies. With that result working in their favour, the Indian stars took care of the remaining task in commanding fashion. The biggest relief for the team, ahead of their arrival in Kolkata, was the return to form of Abhishek Sharma. Recovering from illness, the young southpaw rediscovered his rhythm and announced it emphatically with a sparkling half-century. Smashing four boundaries and four sixes, he scored a fluent 55, underlining the old adage — class is permanent. Critics may argue that the knock came against Zimbabwe, but after a sequence of low scores, the confidence with which he dispatched pulls and sweeps to the boundary will serve as a huge boost for the matches ahead.

With Rinku Singh unavailable, Sanju was drafted into the XI and promoted to open, a tactical move that also helped the team counter the threat of off-spin early in the innings.

Tilak Varma’s return to aggressive strokeplay also eased the worries in the Indian camp. Shedding his earlier sluggish approach, he remained unbeaten on a blistering 44 off just 16 balls. Hardik Pandya, too, reminded everyone of his importance with an unbeaten half-century, capping off a dominant batting display that was watched from the stands by his girlfriend, Mahika.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe bowed out of the World Cup after a heavy defeat to India, but their campaign will still be remembered fondly. From defeating Australia in the group stage to pushing India hard in the Super Eight, their journey was far from insignificant. They also secured direct qualification for the next World Cup’s main round. Though victory eluded them, Brian Bennett’s outstanding unbeaten 97 stood out as the highlight of their innings. His knock, studded with eight fours and six sixes, powered Zimbabwe to a competitive 184.

On the bowling front, while Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya went wicketless, both were economical, conceding just 21 runs each in their three-over spells to keep Zimbabwe in check. Arshdeep Singh led the charge by dismantling the middle order, picking up three wickets for 24 runs in four overs. Varun Chakravarthy, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel chipped in with a wicket apiece.

Although the batting unit provided plenty of reassurance, the bowling department will remain an area of concern for the team management. In particular, Dube’s wayward final over — featuring multiple wides even with the game well under control — was far from ideal and will need addressing ahead of tougher challenges.