India need to get a big win if possible on the night and will probably be looking to bowl first if given the choice, in order to limit the visitors to a low total and chase it down quickly.
Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi produced an excellent opening spell to dismantle Karnataka's top-order as his side stayed within sniffing distance of a historic Ranji Trophy title, reducing the hosts to 220 for five here on Thursday. J&K posted 584 in their first innings and were all out on the third day. The 29-year-old tore through the Karnataka top-order with figures of 3 for 32 in 14 overs, bowling nine overs on the trot in a relentless first spell that rattled some of the wll-known names of Indian cricket. Nabi drew first blood removing KL Rahul. He then struck twice in two balls to put Karnataka in bigger trouble. First, he removed India international Karun Nair with an unplayable delivery that angled in and darted away after pitching to knock the top of off stump, and then, dismissed the in-form Smaran Ravichandran in the very next delivery. Veteran Mayank Agarwal (130 batting; 207 balls) consolidated in the final session with resolute defensive technique to keep Jammu .
Sanju Samson is playing only his second game in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 after making an appearance against Namibia
Business Standard looks at the possible outcomes and how the result of the West Indies vs South Africa match could shape India's semifinal chances.
The surface in Chennai is typically batting-friendly, and totals in the 170-180 range are often within reach.
The Men in Blue began their Super Eight campaign on a disappointing note, suffering a comprehensive 76-run defeat against South Africa national cricket team.
With their campaign hanging in the balance, India will be eager to respond with a strong performance tonight in Chennai.
India's press conference on the eve of the match at 4 PM IST is likely to shed more light on the XI but before that Business Standard take a look at cues from the practice session.
ICC T20 World Cup HIGHLIGHTS: South Africa, with four points, are now at the top of the Group 1 points table
Top two teams from Group 1 will qualify for the semi-finals after the end of the Super 8 round of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026
The top spot in the Group 1 points table of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 round will be on the line when West Indies take the field against South Africa
How is net run rate calculated and how can India improve it? Find out everything you need to know about net run rate calculation in cricket.
A win for South Africa against West Indies will put them in the semi-finals as the second team alongside England
The surface in Ahmedabad promises excellent conditions for a high-scoring contest.
Both India and Zimbabwe suffered defeats in their previous matches - India against South Africa and Zimbabwe against the West Indies - making Thursday's fixture crucial for semi-final qualification
West Indies batting coach Floyd Reifer on Wednesday brushed aside suggestions of a looming six-hitting shootout against South Africa, asserting that his side's focus remains on maximising scoring opportunities rather than merely clearing the ropes in their crucial T20 World Cup clash here. With both unbeaten teams packed with some tremendous power-hitters, there is an expectation of a high-scoring contest but Reifer said the Caribbean side's approach goes beyond boundary-hitting. "Both teams have the ability to hit sixes and once the wicket is good, you expect good batting performances from both sides. For us, it's about scoring off as many deliveries as possible. Yes, we hit sixes and fours, but the main thing is to score as many balls as possible," Reifer said during the pre-match press conference. The former West Indies captain made it clear that his team does not feel the need to prove a point despite entering the tournament amid modest expectations. "There's no point to prove
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said that a total in excess of 160 was "enough" on a surface that offered more turn than expected as his side defeated Sri Lanka by 61 runs to move to the brink of T20 World Cup semifinals here on Wednesday. New Zealand had slumped to 84/6 in 12.1 overs after losing four wickets in a dramatic middle-order collapse, but Santner (47 off 26) and Cole McConchie (31 not out off 23) turned the game around with a counter-attacking stand. The duo plundered 70 runs in the last four overs to lift New Zealand to 168/7. New Zealand then restricted Sri Lanka to 107 for 8 to knock the islanders out of the tournament. "It was obviously a nice score there with the amount of spin with the ball. They squeezed us a lot," Santner said at the post-match presentation. "Of course, the batsmen will need to take a little responsibility at the top and you know we can't rely on one or two batsmen in a game, so all the batters need to take the positive option. "I think we
Fitness and form were not the only areas in which Sri Lanka failed, said captain Dasun Shanaka as he also blamed the "negative environment created outside" for his team's ouster from the T20 World Cup and oddly urged the government to protect the players from criticism. Shanaka apologised to his country for the disappointing ouster from the Super Eight stage after a 61-run loss to New Zealand following a 51-run defeat at the hands of England. However, he was not too happy with the criticism that his players were facing due to underwhelming performances. "As players, it's very hard for us to control the outside noise. So, most of the time, we mainly hear negative stuff, so no matter how positive we are as players, there is a negative environment created from the outside," he said after the loss to New Zealand here on Wednesday. "So that's a disadvantage for cricket in Sri Lanka, we only have this game and I don't think this could be saved. So, why the negativity is being spread like
While dismissing panic, Kotak acknowledged that selection conversations are active. "There can be changes, yes," he admitted when asked about possible alterations involving Samson and Axar
The incident took place shortly after Dogra struck a boundary off pacer Prasidh Krishna, when a verbal exchange with substitute fielder Aneesh escalated into a brief physical confrontation