Suryakumar Yadav and Kuldeep Yadav (Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: India must stop overthinking match-ups and urgently return to selecting their best XI if they are to keep their T20 World Cup campaign alive, according to former Australia captain Ricky Ponting.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Following India’s crushing 76-run defeat to South Africa in the Super 8 stage, Ponting issued a blunt assessment ahead of their must-win clash against Zimbabwe in Chennai, urging the team management to simplify their approach.

“Listening to the commentary, the reason Axar didn’t play is because of the left-handers in the opposition side. But there’s still some right-handers there. It just comes down to the art of the captain of being able to use Axar at the right time,” Ponting said on The ICC Review.India’s decision to leave out Axar Patel raised eyebrows, especially with spin expected to play a major role on Indian surfaces. Ponting stressed that team balance must take priority over tactical match-up theories.“I would be going back to the basics. I’d be just looking at their lineup. Who’s our best XI for the conditions in Chennai?” he said.Ponting also threw his support behind bringing back wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, highlighting his ability to trouble all batters regardless of match-ups.“If it has Kuldeep Yadav in it, that’s the other one that I’d be thinking about bringing back because it doesn’t matter with him if it’s left-hand or right-hand. He can bowl wrong ones and spin the ball away from the outside edge.”Former India coach Ravi Shastri echoed similar views, insisting that experience and bowling depth were critical at this stage.“They have to bring him back. You need that experience,” Shastri said of Axar. “What you’re missing out on is that you’re not giving yourself that extra option of a bowler, which I think is important.”With their semi-final hopes hanging by a thread, India now face a simple but urgent task — pick their strongest XI and deliver immediately.

Ahmedabad was Sherfane Rutherford’s home ground in the last IPL.
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini

Shoaib Akhtar slams Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar slammed India’s bowling attack after their heavy 76-run loss to South Africa in the T20 World Cup Super 8 match. He said the defeat exposed how fragile India’s bowling unit is, especially against strong batting line-ups like the Proteas.Akhtar was particularly critical of Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube, who gave away 67 runs in six overs for just one wicket. He felt they lacked pace and intimidation, and that using them in the death overs was a tactical mistake.

“Hardik and Shivam Dube were bowling at around 120 kmph. It’s not as if they are Malcolm Marshall — someone who would intimidate a batting line-up of South Africa’s calibre. If you deploy them in the death overs, such a counterattack from the Proteas is inevitable,” he said on Tapmad.He also pointed out that India’s bowling looked vulnerable overall, with South African batters dominating even the team’s key bowlers. Akhtar highlighted Varun Chakaravarthy’s expensive spell, saying his usual pace was down and that he was punished by the batters. “Indian bowling has been exposed. If you look at Varun, whose strength is bowling at 97-98 kmph, he was clocking 94. And when he came into the attack, he was hit for a no-look six by Dewald Brevis,” he added.Akhtar suggested that India should bring Kuldeep Yadav into the team, calling him the “missing link” who can trick batters and take wickets at crucial moments. “The missing link here is Kuldeep Yadav. He is someone who can deceive batters in the air and pick up wickets when needed. He is a proven match-winner.”He also felt that Varun Chakaravarthy and Washington Sundar offer similar skills, making India’s bowling attack predictable and easier for top teams to attack.

Axar Patel (right) sits out IND vs SA T20 World Cup Super 8 match (ANI Photos)

India captain Suryakumar Yadav revealed that the team went with the same playing XI for the Super 8 game against South Africa on Sunday, which meant vice-captain Axar Patel was left out again, with Washington Sundar keeping his spot. After losing the toss, Surya admitted he wanted to bat first but accepted the toss result, calling Axar’s omission a tough call.

“I was actually looking to bat first, but it’s okay, and we’re happy to bowl first. It’s very harsh on Axar Patel, but we’re going with the same team – just a tactical decision, so no changes from the last game,” he said at the toss. The decision sparked strong reactions on social media, with many fans questioning Axar’s exclusion.“Can someone tell me, why Axar Patel is dropped with his OG T2OI performances?” One fan wrote on X.“I have another question, can somebody tell me why Washington Sundar is not bowling to David Miller, if he was selected over Axar with lefties excuse?Does anything make sense under Gambhir?”Similar sentiments among fans over the Axar Patel omission call followed.In the match, South Africa had a shaky start after opting to bat. Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh struck early, reducing them to 20/3 in just four overs. However, David Miller and Dewald Brevis staged a strong comeback, attacking India’s bowlers and shifting the momentum.Miller took on Varun Chakravarthy and Arshdeep Singh with powerful boundaries, while Brevis joined in with aggressive shots against Washington Sundar and others. The pair added quick runs and pushed the scoring rate up, helping South Africa recover to 84/3 at the halfway stage. Nevertheless, South Africa posted a strong total of 187/7 in their 20 overs after choosing to bat against India. After losing early wickets, Miller (63 off 35) and Brevis (45 off 29) led a crucial recovery, while Stubbs (44* off 24) provided a late surge. Bumrah was the standout bowler with 3/15, supported by Arshdeep’s 2/28, but India still face a challenging chase.

R Premadasa Stadium under covers (Photo by Pratyush Raj/TimesofIndia.com)

Rain has become the main talking point ahead of the Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 match in Colombo, with the weather threatening to disrupt the big clash on Saturday. Light but steady drizzle has covered the ground, and the start of the match has already been delayed. Officials have kept the pitch and outfield under covers, and fans are waiting for updates on when play can begin.

If the rain does not stop, overs will start getting cut after 8:10 PM IST (2:40 PM GMT). That means the match could be shortened, depending on how long the delay lasts. The latest possible time to start a five-overs-per-side game is 10:16 PM IST (4.46 pm GMT). If play cannot begin by then, the match could be abandoned with no result, which would be a big blow for both teams.Rain in Colombo is not new, and similar conditions forced Pakistan to cancel a practice session recently. Even today, the drizzle has been persistent, and the forecast does not look very promising. Fans and teams are hoping for a break in the weather so that at least some cricket can be played.Pakistan have won the toss and elected to bat first. There are also some interesting team updates. Pakistan have brought back Fakhar Zaman despite concerns over his knee, which surprised many. It will be interesting to see where he bats in the order and what role Babar Azam plays in the lineup. New Zealand have also made changes, with captain Mitchell Santner returning and fast bowler Lockie Ferguson rejoining the squad after becoming a father.Both teams reached the Super 8 stage with strong performances in the group stage, so this match is important for their World Cup campaign. However, for now, all eyes are on the sky, as rain continues to decide the fate of this high-stakes clash.New Zealand (Playing XI): Tim Seifert(w), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner(c), James Neesham, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Lockie FergusonPakistan (Playing XI): Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha(c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan(w), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq