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India revived their T20 World Cup campaign with their \u201cfearless\u201d brand of cricket ahead of a winner-takes-all decider against the West Indies for the last semi-final berth.<\/p>\n
Hot favourites to defend their title on home soil, India thrashed<\/a> Zimbabwe by 72 runs in Chennai on Thursday to bounce back from their heavy defeat against South Africa in their Super Eights opener.<\/p>\n India\u2019s batting, led by opener Abhishek Sharma\u2019s blistering 55 and an unbeaten 50 by Hardik Pandya, piled up 256-4, the second-highest total in the history of the tournament.<\/p>\n In a brutal show of power hitting, the Indian batters demolished the opposition bowling with 17 sixes and 17 fours at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.<\/p>\n India face the West Indies, who went down to South Africa by nine wickets, in Kolkata on Sunday to decide the second semi-finalist from Group 1.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to play fearless cricket, the brand of cricket we played today and we played since last year,\u201d batter Tilak Varma said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe same intent we want to keep in the next game as well. And going ahead in the tournament, we take the same intensity (forward).\u201d<\/p>\n The left-handed Varma hit a 19-ball 44 as he put together an unbeaten 84-run stand with Pandya, who capped off the innings with two sixes to raise his fifty.<\/p>\n It all came together for India after they rejigged their opening combination with the return of Sanju Samson, who handed the team a quick start with his 24 off 15 balls.<\/p>\n The left-handed Abhishek hit form with his first T20 World Cup fifty after he struggled in the tournament with three ducks in four innings.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s important when the openers give us a good start, the same confidence follows to number three, four and five,\u201d said Varma.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd we discussed that whatever the situation is, (even) if we lose three-four wickets in powerplay, we will bat with the same rhythm,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd we want to show the fear in opposition bowlers, that these guys are ready to hit each and every ball.\u201d<\/p>\n India, the world\u2019s top-ranked T20 team, came into the World Cup on the back of huge totals in bilateral contests and was tipped to cross the 300-run mark at the tournament.<\/p>\n But their batting had looked fragile and was often exposed, including by minnows the United States, who reduced them to 77-6 in their opener.<\/p>\n Varma remains cautious of his team\u2019s plans against the West Indies, who posted 254-6 against Zimbabwe in their Super Eights opener.<\/p>\n \u201cSo if the wicket is not good, then we\u2019ll adjust, and we\u2019ll keep that intensity on,\u201d said Varma.<\/p>\n \u201cI would not say we want to score more than 250 \u2014 but if we get a good start, then of course we\u2019ll go for it.\u201d<\/p>\n The Indian bowling has looked good.<\/p>\n On Thursday, left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh returned figures of 3-24 to limit Zimbabwe to 184-6.<\/p>\n He surpassed senior paceman Jasprit Bumrah as the leading bowler for India at the T20 World Cup with 35 wickets to Bumrah\u2019s 33.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have been doing well for the past couple of years, so even after a blip or a defeat, the belief of the group was there,\u201d Arshdeep told reporters.<\/p>\n \u201cWe knew we just had to come and follow our processes, and the result will come our way. So the thought was very simple and we are enjoying it.\u201d<\/p>\n The 2024 champions have the weight of history against them. No team has ever retained the T20 World Cup and no side has ever won the trophy on home soil.<\/p>\n<\/a>\u2018Keep that intensity\u2019<\/h3>\n