India’s Sanju Samson (ANI Photo)

India produced a commanding display to brush aside Zimbabwe in Match 48 of the ongoing T20 World Cup at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on February 26. Asked to bat first, the Men in Blue piled up a formidable 256 in the opening innings, a total that left Zimbabwe with an uphill task from the outset.The batting unit drew widespread applause, particularly for the way the openers set the tone. Sanju Samson, drafted into the XI in place of Rinku Singh, had plenty of attention on him ahead of the clash. Partnering Abhishek Sharma at the top, Samson struck 24 off just 15 balls, ensuring India made full use of the powerplay and seized early momentum.

Following the emphatic win, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin offered a balanced assessment of Samson’s knock on his YouTube channel.“I will see this from two sides. One, Sanju Samson the boy I know and what he is capable of. Second is Samson for the Indian team. This team, in this World Cup, addressed the opening partnership in this game. We got a better start. If Sanju can give me 15-ball 28, 16-ball 30, from here till the final, he would have done a job for the team. Maybe he can score big also, but he has done the job,” Ashwin said.Ashwin also expressed a more personal wish for the Kerala batter, hoping he converts his starts into something substantial as the tournament progresses.“For Samson the person, that I like, I really do want him to stick in and make a huge score. There will not be a better opportunity than this. I want him to start well and capitalize as well. If you come here after years after hardwork, in this platform, catch the flight. Even if you fall, you can say you tried at least. I would want him to finish the World Cup with a hundred, or that match-winning performance, for his confidence. He deserves it,” he added.

Pakistan players (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has stirred debate at the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 after urging Pakistan to make a bold selection call ahead of their must-win Super 8 clash against England in Pallekele on Tuesday. Taking to social media, Ashwin advised Pakistan to promote Fakhar Zaman to the middle order if they are serious about staying alive in the tournament.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“If Pakistan are serious about this World Cup campaign, they need to think about giving Fakhar Zaman a go in the middle order,” Ashwin wrote on X. He emphasised Fakhar’s ability to counter England’s spin threat, particularly leg-spinner Adil Rashid and left-arm spinner Liam Dawson.

“He can sweep and use his feet against Rashid and Dawson to inflict some serious damage through the middle overs. This was Nepal’s success formulae against Rashid and there are some key learning’s that the other teams can try to imbibe. Access the square boundaries to earn balls in the step hit zone,” Ashwin added.Ashwin pointed to Nepal’s success against Rashid, even sharing a wagon wheel graphic to illustrate how accessing square boundaries and using footwork disrupted England’s control in the middle overs.The suggestion comes as spin is expected to dominate at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, where slowing surfaces have already influenced results. England’s spinners, supported by pacer Jofra Archer, played a decisive role in their commanding win over Sri Lanka, while their batting has found unlikely heroes.Despite inconsistent performances from senior players like Jos Buttler, England have continued to win, with captain Harry Brook backing his experienced core to deliver soon. Opener Phil Salt has also rediscovered form at a crucial time.Pakistan, led by Salman Ali Agha, face a far more precarious situation. Their opening Super 8 match against New Zealand was washed out, leaving them with little margin for error. While their spin attack offers variety, their batting has struggled for consistency beyond leading scorer Sahibzada Farhan.

India’s Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (AP Photo/Solomon Chingono)

India have completed their T20 World Cup group-stage assignments and now brace for a far sterner examination in the Super 8s. The defending champions will face tougher opposition in the next phase, including 2024 runners-up South Africa, the West Indies and Zimbabwe. So far, India have underlined their status as title holders by sweeping aside every challenge in the opening round. Speaking on Ash ki Baat, Ravichandran Ashwin lauded the team’s consistency but admitted that the performance against the Netherlands was not flawless. He pointed out that Suryakumar Yadav anchored the innings with care, while Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya and Rinku Singh were positioned to lift the scoring rate at the right moment. Ashwin emphasised that even when India are not at their sharpest, their overall strength makes them difficult to beat.

“Surya played a very diligent knock. For the acceleration point, Dube, Hardik, and Rinku were there. They knew they could catch up on the scoring rate. But India weren’t extremely good today (vs Netherlands) with the bat, not extremely efficient. But it is such a solid team that even on their ordinary day, they can put you away. They were below par, not at their best. But still, with Varun Chakaravarthy bowling so well, the Netherlands could not pick him. Jasprit Bumrah got swing in the Powerplay and bowled yorkers too,” he said on Ash ki Baat. Ashwin also discussed Tilak Varma’s approach in the shortest format, especially as he works his way back after injury. He underlined that T20 success does not always depend on brute force and highlighted the value of timing and placement. “Tilak Varma is coming back after an injury. We talk about power and strength, but sweet spot and timing are the basic essence of batting. Tilak is not a big power hitter. For him, timing and finding the sweet spot are most important. Please remember, you can play like Vaibhav (Sooryavanshi), but you can also play like Tilak, who relies on timing and picks the gaps,” Ashwin said. Elsewhere, Pakistan confirmed their Super Eights qualification with a win over Namibia, joining India from Group A. Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe progressed from Group B, the West Indies and England advanced from Group C, while South Africa and New Zealand moved ahead from Group D in the 20-team tournament. With Australia and New Zealand already assured of entry into the 2028 edition as co-hosts, all teams that have reached the Super Eights, including New Zealand alongside Australia, have now secured qualification for that event.