India Vs Zimbabwe Live Score, T20 World Cup 2026: Defending Champions Fight For Semifinal Survival In Chennai

India's Rinku Singh has left the ICC Men's T20 World Cup camp following a serious health emergency involving his father. His father, who is battling stage-4 liver cancer, is currently on ventilator support, according to an NDTV report. 

Read the full story here - What Happened To Rinku Singh's Father? India Player Leaves T20 World Cup Camp Due To Family Emergency

The South African captain is in a mighty hurry to get to the semifinals, starting his innings with a vicious cut to find the boundary on the very first ball and he's been scoring at a canter in the powerplay. Aiden Markram has raced to 43* runs off just 20 balls having hit 6 fours and 2 sixes.

In stark contrast, Quinton de Kock has just 9* runs from off 11 balls, largely playing the role of spectator as his captain takes charge. The Proteas now need 124 runs from 90 balls after that quick start. 

South Africa 53/0 after five overs. 

For those of you just catching up on the tournament, here's a breakdown into how India and Zimbabwe have fared so far in the tournament. 

India’s journey to Chennai has been a tale of two halves. It began with a flawless, unbeaten run through the group stages followed by a jarring reality check.

After dominating Group A with four straight wins, including a clinical 61-run victory over Pakistan, the defending champions entered the Super 8s as heavy favourites. However, that momentum came to a screeching halt in Ahmedabad last Sunday. The Proteas exploited India’s middle-order vulnerabilities, bowling them out for just 111 after scoring 187/7 themselves, to secure a massive 76-run win.

That defeat didn't just end India’s record 12-match T20 World Cup winning streak, but it left them with significant damage to their NRR (-3.800), turning today’s fixture into an absolute must-win. 

Zimbabwe, meanwhile, arrives as the tournament’s favourite Underdog story, having undergone a radical 24-month transformation after failing to qualify for the 2024 edition. The "Chevrons" stunned the cricketing world by topping Group B, securing historic wins against both Australia and co-hosts Sri Lanka.

However, they were brought back to earth by the West Indies in their Super 8 opener, conceding a massive 254 runs before being bowled out for just 147, leaving them with a NRR that's worse that India's at -5.350. That doesn't take anything away from the African nation who still remains a dangerous, tactically disciplined side.

Led by the evergreen Sikandar Raza and bolstered by one of the tournament's standout pacer Blessing Muzarabani (11 wickets), Zimbabwe aren't just here to make up the numbers.

South Africa had West Indies on the ropes in their Super 8 clash at Ahmedabad, with the Men in Maroon struggling at 83/7 in the 11th over. However, an impressive 89-run stand off just 57 balls for the 8th wicket by Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd has given the Windies some hope in this game. 

Holder (49) and Shepherd (52*) were the only men to post significant contributions with Brandon King (21) the next highest scorer as West Indies reached 176/8 after 20 overs. It was Shepherd's maiden T20I fifty, which along with Holder's contribution could prove massively significant. 

Lungi Ngidi was the chief tormentor for the Windies with 3/30 with Kagiso Rabada (2/22) and Corbin Bosch (2/31) the other bowlers who chipped in with wickets. 

Marco Jansen was expensive, going for 23 runs in his final over as he finished wicketless with figures of 0/50. 

India’s survival in the 2026 T20 World Cup now hinges on a complex war on two fronts involving both on-field dominance and external results. Following their 76-run hammering by South Africa, the Men in Blue sit in third place of Group 1 with a Net Run Rate of -3.800. To advance, India essentially needs two things to happen:

Firstly, the Net Run Rate: If India bat first against Zimbabwe, they need to win by at least 77 runs to move their NRR into positive territory after two Super 8 matches. If India bat second the math gets more complicated as they'll need to win with overs to spare to boost their NRR. The chase will have to be aggressive and almost one-sided to bring their NRR into the positive. 

Second, a Windies Defeat: India's chances take a massive boost if the West Indies falter. Currently, the Proteas are doing India a massive favor in Ahmedabad, having reduced the Windies to a shaky 129/7 in 16 overs. If the Windies lose that will keep them on 2 points, which India can match if they win against Zimbabwe. That would turn their final Super 8 outing against the West Indies into a straight-forward knockout game on March 1.