Chennai/IBNS, Feb. 26 -- India bounced back in emphatic fashion from their crushing defeat to South Africa, hammering Zimbabwe by 72 runs in a must-win Super 8 clash of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 on Thursday.

The commanding victory turned India's final Group 1 fixture against West Indies on March 1 into a virtual knockout.

Powered by a late onslaught from Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma, India piled up a mammoth 256/4 - the highest total of the ongoing edition.

Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma then tore into the Zimbabwe attack with a breathtaking fifth-wicket stand. Hardik brought up his fifty off the final ball of the innings with a towering six and remained unbeaten on 84 off just 31 deliveries.

Tilak, who had been demoted in the ...