T20 World Cup, India vs Zimbabwe as it happened: Suryakumar Yadav, bowlers guide India to big win

Here’s a look at both the points tables at the end of the Super 12 stage:

Player of the match Suryakumar Yadav: “The plan was clear when Hardik and I were batting, we just wanted to be positive. The atmosphere in the team is very nice, really looking forward to the semifinals. My plan is always clear, I do the same thing in the nets as well, I just do what is needed by the team. Feels really good (to score 1,000 T20I runs this year)... just want to continue enjoying my cricket.”

ZIM: 115 all out (17.2 overs): Axar finally gets a wicket too as Chatara hits it back to him. India finish with the most points across both groups and will now play England at Adelaide in the semifinals. A comprehensive win at the MCG today, thanks largely to Suryakumar Yadav’s stunning knock.

India win by 71 runs!

ZIM 111/9 (16.4 overs): OUT! Raza’s resistance ends as he pulls it to SKY in the deep. Hardik returns to the attack and gets his second wicket as the right-hander walks back for 34 off 24.

ZIM 106/8 (15.5 overs): OUT! Ashwin takes another wicket in the over. That was an unusual dismissal all right as Ngarava thought of pulling the ball but it stayed slow and low before crashing into the stumps. Ashwin with a smile as he gets his third wicket.

ZIM 104/7 (15.1 overs): OUT! Ashwin gets his second wicket as Rohit takes a simple catch at cover. Masakadza steps out and gets a leading edge, the left-hander departs for 1 off 7.

ZIM 104/6 (15 overs): Raza survives a stumping shout before sweeping Axar for four. He has moved on to 30 off 19. Axar has figures of 0/36 from three overs. Zimbabwe need 83 off 30.

ZIM 96/6 (13.2 overs): OUT! Ah well, it was fun while it lasted but Burl’s innings has come to an end. The left-hander is bowled by Ashwin and departs for 35 off 22. The off-spinner bowled that one faster and fuller and found the gap.

ZIM 94/5 (13 overs): Ryan Burl has played a little gem of an innings so far. He picks consecutive fours to end that Axar over. The spinners have proven to be costly for India so far.

ZIM 81/5 (12 overs): Ashwin bowls a nothing ball short and wide and Burl slaps it past cover for four. This partnership has added 45 off 28. Zimbabwe now need 106 off 48.

ZIM 75/5 (11 overs): Burl with another superb reverse sweep. He played the shot to pick four off Ashwin and now picks six off Axar. Great balance and wrist-work by the left-hander.

ZIM 55/5 (10 overs): Ashwin joins the attack in the last over before the mid-innings break and is hit for fours by both Burl and Raza. Zimbabwe now need 128 off 60.

ZIM 47/5 (9 overs): Hardik beats Burl and Rohit is convinced to take a review, but DRS shows there was no outside edge. The left-hander then lifts one over mid-off for four.

ZIM 36/5 (7.3 overs): OUT! Shami strikes in his second over too. This time it’s Munyonga who is out LBW. Zimbabwe took a review but it showed three reds.

ZIM 31/4 (6.4 overs): OUT! After Bhuvi, Arshdeep and Shami, it’s Hardik’s turn to pick a wicket in the first over. He gets a simple-ish return catch as Ervine walks back for 13 off 15.

ZIM 28/3 (6 overs): OUT! Williams gets a top edge for six but finds Bhuvi at third man this time. Shami strikes in his first over as the left-hander departs for 11 off 18. That’s the end of the powerplay, which was dominated by India. The new batter for Zimbabwe is Raza.

ZIM 21/2 (5 overs): A much better over for Zimbabwe, eight runs from it. Bhuvi swings one in to Ervine and the left-hander flicks it stylishly past mid-on for four. The Zimbabwe skipper then clips it again for three.

ZIM 13/2 (4 overs): First boundary of the Zimbabwe innings as Arshdeep bowls it a little too straight and Ervine clips it in the wide gap on the leg side for four.

ZIM 7/2 (3 overs): Bhuvi with another good over, just four runs from it. Great control with the swing both ways by the senior pacer.

ZIM 2/2 (1.4 overs): OUT! Arshdeep gets going too by angling one in to Chakabva and hitting the stumps. Zimbabwe are in all sorts of trouble.

ZIM 0/1 (0.1 overs): OUT! Bhuvneshwar strikes with the first ball of the innings as Madhevere departs. That wicket belongs to Kohli, though. A brilliant diving catch by the senior pro at short cover.

3.20 pm: The players are back on the field for the chase. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has the new ball in hand. Here we go!

3.09 pm: Surya finishes the innings with 4 and 6 to remain unbeaten on 61 off 25. That was an absolute masterclass by the right-hander. He is a master of playing the scoop shot for boundaries and there isn’t much bowlers can do about it. India have finished with a formidable total at The G thanks to that SKY special.

India finish with 186/5

India 176/5 (19.4 overs): FIFTY for Surya! A 23-ball half-century for SKY with five fours and three sixes. He’s a gift to the Indian team that keeps giving. Another scoop for six earlier in this over.

India 166/5 (19.2 overs): OUT! Hardik is gone for 18 off 18 after finding the fielder. Not the most convincing knock again. Ngarava has started the last over strongly. The new batter is Axar.

India 165/4 (19 overs): Another big over for India as Hardik and Surya pick a four each off Muzarabani’s bowling. Hardik slapped one in the gap before Surya played a gorgeous straight drive. India will be eyeing that 180-run mark.

That last six has taken Suryakumar Yadav past 1,000 runs in T20Is this year. What a player!

India 152/4 (18 overs): Suryakumar Yadav is the No 1 batter is men’s T20 International cricket at the moment, and he’s showing us why once again. Brilliant, brilliant batting from the right-hander. He scoops Chatara for four before playing a cover-drive for six to end the over. That was a wow shot! SKY moves to 37 off 18.

India 137/4 (17 overs): Surya is turning it on, again! The right-hander guides one over short-third for four before playing his brilliant scoop shot for six. Ngarava concedes 12 runs in his third over.

India 125/4 (16 overs): Big over for India! Surya hits a four over the keeper before picking one over the bowler. Hardik then clips one for four before the over ends with four leg byes. Muzarabani was the bowler at the receiving end.

India 107/4 (15 overs): Another good over for Zimbabwe, this time Masakadza concedes just four runs. This has been a tough period of play for India. They have Surya and Hardik at the crease now and the duo needs to up the ante.

India 101/4 (13.3 overs): OUT! Ryan Burl takes an absolute stunner! Rishabh Pant’s return to the side doesn’t last long as he falls for 3 off 5 to Sean Williams. But that wicket belongs to Burl who ran to his left from long-on and put in a dive to take a sensational catch. India are surely in a spot of bother now. The new batter is Hardik Pandya.

India 95/3 (12.2 overs): OUT! Rahul is out the next ball after getting his fifty. He finds the fielder at long-off this time. Raza gets his first wicket. The right-hander walks back for 51 off 35 as Rishabh Pant comes to the crease.

India 95/2 (12.1 overs): Fifty for Rahul! His second successive half-century and he gets there in style with a straight six off his 34th delivery.

India 87/2 (11.5 overs): OUT! Virat Kohli is gone. He tries to whack the ball but gets a top edge and is caught at long-off. The right-hander walks back for 26 off 25 as left-arm spinner Sean Williams strikes in his first over. The new batter is Suryakumar Yadav.

India 85/1 (11 overs): Another tidy over by Raza, just six singles from it. Rahul moves to 44 off 32, with Kohli on 25 off 21.

India 79/1 (10 overs): Chatara drops one short and Rahul pulls it hard between the fielders in the deep for four. India have reached the halfway stage of their innings in a promising position. They have nine wickets remaining and will be eyeing a total of at least 170.

India 71/1 (9 overs): Raza joins the attack and bowls a top over, just three runs from it. It will be interesting to see how the Indians approach the rest of his overs.

India 68/1 (8 overs): Rahul decides to cut loose. He hits leg-spinner Burl straight for six before slogging one for four over mid-wicket. The Indian innings is moving along nicely.

India 54/1 (7 overs): Vintage Kohli! Left-arm spinner Masakadza tosses it up and the right-hander uses his famous wrist-work to whip the ball through mid-wicket for four. He’s looking in fine touch again.

India 46/1 (6 overs): Good end to the powerplay for India. Rahul cuts one over point for four before Kohli punches one past cover for three. Muzarabani a bit all over the place in that over.

India 36/1 (5 overs): Kohli gets going with a clip past short-fine for four, before Chatara bowls a tidy over and concedes just five runs.

India 27/1 (3.5 overs): OUT! Rohit Sharma is gone. He goes for the pull again and finds the fielder in the deep, with the square boundaries at the MCG being massive. He had picked four runs with a square-cut off the previous delivery. The India captain walks back for 15 off 13 as Blessing Muzarabani strikes in his first over. The new batter is Virat Kohli.

India 18/0 (3 overs): Shot! Ngarava angles one in again and Rahul was ready for it, the right-hander maintains great balance and plays a short-arm pull for six. That went a long way, 92 meters to be precise. Good over for India, 12 runs from it.

India 6/0 (2 overs): Right-arm pacer Tendai Chatara does well to concede just two runs off the first five balls, with Rohit and Rahul picking a single each, but the India captain ends the over with a drive straight over for four.

India 0/0 (1 over): Maiden over. As per usual, KL Rahul gives India the slowest possible start. Good bowling by left-arm pacer Richard Ngarava, but Rahul had absolutely no intention whatsoever of looking for runs. Those are six more balls India will never get back.

1.29 pm: The national anthems are done and we’re ready for play at the MCG. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul are at the crease. Can the Indian openers gain more confidence heading into the semifinals? Here we go!

If India lose against Zimbabwe, Pakistan will finish at the top of the table...

Playing XIs

India: KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (w), Axar Patel, Ashwin Ravichandran, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh.

Zimbabwe: Wesley Madhevere, Craig Ervine (c), Regis Chakabva (w), Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Tony Munyonga, Ryan Burl, Tendai Chatara, Richard Ngarava, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani.

Rohit Sharma: “It’s just the preference of the team (to bat first), pitch looks good. We want to give our bowlers the chance to defend a total. One change for us – Rishabh Pant comes in for Dinesh Karthik. Rishabh was the only player who hadn’t played any game so far, so we wanted to give him a chance.”

TOSS: Rohit Sharma has won the toss and India will bat first against Zimbabwe at the MCG.

Update: Pakistan are through to the semifinals! Babar Azam and Co have defeated Bangladesh by five wickets to advance. What a turn of events we have seen today. Simply extraordinary!

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 Group 2 match between India and Zimbabwe at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

With South Africa losing to Netherlands, India earned a spot in the semifinals before playing their last Group 2 match against Zimbabwe. Rohit Sharma and Co will, however, look to end their Super 12 campaign on a high and beat Craig Ervine’s team to finish top of the group. Zimbabwe, having beaten Pakistan earlier, will believe they can get another big win and finish on five points. If India win at the MCG today, they will face England, who finished second in Group 1, in the semifinals. The 2007 champions have had time to rest and regroup after the tense win over Bangladesh in their last game, and will be keen to build momentum heading into the business end of the tournament.

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Squads

India: KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (w), Axar Patel, Ashwin Ravichandran, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshal Patel, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant.

Zimbabwe: Wesley Madhevere, Craig Ervine (c), Regis Chakabva (w), Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Milton Shumba, Ryan Burl, Luke Jongwe, Richard Ngarava, Tendai Chatara, Blessing Muzarabani, Wellington Masakadza, Tony Munyonga, Brad Evans, Clive Madande.