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Hardik Pandya Player of the Match: All-rounder Hardik Pandya became the Player of the Match as India won by 72 runs in the do-or-die T20 World Cup match against Zimbabwe. Hardik batted stormily in the last overs and played an explosive inning of 50 runs in just 23 balls, due to which India scored the second highest score in the history of the tournament. Hardik was very economical in bowling itself. He gave only 21 runs in three overs.
Hardik Pandya became the player of the match.
New Delhi. Indian cricket team’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals of T20 World Cup 2026 are alive. Team India, registering a big win over Zimbabwe by 72 runs in its second match of Super-8, collected two points and is at third place in the points table of Group-1. To make it to the top-4, India will now have to defeat West Indies in their last Super-8. Indian batsmen performed amazingly in Chepauk. While Abhishek Sharma scored a half-century, Sanju Samson also gave a fast start to the team. After this Ishan Kishan played a blazing innings. Captain Suryakumar Yadav also batted at a strike rate above 250. Tilak Verma also appeared in good form against Zimbabwe. However, Hardik Pandya was adjudged player of the match for his all-round performance.
Hardik’s all-round performance
Hardik played an important role in India’s victory. He played brilliantly in both the innings. After losing the toss, Team India came to bat first and scored 256 runs losing 4 wickets, putting on the board the second highest score of the T20 World Cup. The team missed out on creating history by just 5 runs. Hardik Pandya played a big role in taking the team beyond 250. He destroyed the Zimbabwean bowlers by hitting fours and sixes in the last overs. Hardik hit two fours and four sixes in his unbeaten stormy innings of 50 runs with a strike rate of 217.
Hardik Pandya became the player of the match.
Showed amazing in bowling also
After bat, Hardik also shone with the ball. Even though he did not get any success, he kept a tight rein on the Zimbabwean batsmen. Hardik was the second most economical bowler of the team. He bowled three overs, giving only 21 runs with an economy of 7. Arshdeep Singh bowled brilliantly and did not allow Zimbabwe to win by taking three wickets. With one wicket each from Varun Chakraborty, Akshar Patel and Shivam Dubey, Zimbabwe’s batsmen could reach only 184 runs.
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Working as Sub Editor in Network 18 Group since November 2025. 3 years experience in journalism. Debuted in sports journalism with Zee News. Interested in writing about cricket as well as hockey and badminton. mother…read more