Thursday’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 showdown at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium pits a desperate India against Zimbabwe, with kickoff at 7 PM. Following a humiliating 76-run loss to South Africa, India must crush Zimbabwe to breathe life into their semifinal aspirations.
Batting failures have plagued the side, with key players Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, and Rinku Singh unable to fire. A reshuffled lineup is on the cards, and Sanju Samson emerges as the likely inclusion, capable of opening the innings or stabilizing the middle order.
His World Cup stint so far? Just one match against Namibia, where he blazed 22 off 8. Yet, this fixture carries deep sentiment—Zimbabwe hosted his T20I debut in 2015. Eleven years of ups and downs later, providence aligns for a potential redemption arc.
Samson’s stats underscore his potential: 1,100 runs in 50 T20I innings, boasting three centuries and three fifties across 58 games. For India, teetering on the edge, Samson’s blade could carve out victory, securing his position and unlocking the path to the semifinals in dramatic fashion.