T20 World Cup 2026: Irfan Pathan advises India to keep it simple in must-win Zimbabwe clash

Team India’s campaign in the T20 World Cup has reached a must-win situation. After a tough defeat to South Africa in the Super 8 stage, the Men in Blue now face a must-win clash against Zimbabwe on February 26 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. With net run rate taking a hit and semifinal hopes in doubt, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has shared a piece of advice for the home team.

Reflecting on the team’s heavy loss to South Africa, Pathan pointed out that India failed in all three departments: batting, bowling, and fielding. What disappointed him most was the lack of partnerships after losing early wickets. Instead of rebuilding, batters continued playing aggressively, leading to a collapse and a small total of 111 while chasing 188.

With West Indies and South Africa well ahead on net run rate, India face the task of chasing a massive win to bridge the gap. However, Pathan stressed that thinking about NRR from the start can create unnecessary pressure. 

“I really hope that approach of playing for net run-rate does not come into play at the start of the game. The priority should be winning the game first. So, perform well and try to win. Only then should you think about the run-rate. If you start thinking about chasing the net run-rate of, say, the West Indies, that is almost impossible. That would mean beating teams like Zimbabwe and the West Indies by a margin of 100 runs, which is not easy in T20 cricket. So, I sincerely hope that when the Indian team plays these next two matches, the main focus is simply on winning first,” he said on his Youtube channel.

Bring back Sanju Samson, but don’t make him open: Pathan

Pathan also weighed in on India’s batting order. He suggested that skipper Suryakumar Yadav should consider batting at No. 3 to add balance and break the monotony of three left-handers at the top. 

“Bring back Sanju Samson, but don’t make him open; make him at No. 3. We have seen him bat at No. 3 in the IPL, and he has also played in the middle order for India. No. 3 is quite similar to opening. If Sanju doesn’t come in, I want Surya to bat at No. 3. But ideally, India should play Sanju, a right-handed batter,” he added.

At the same time, Pathan requested the team not to tinker too much with the opening combination. He backed Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan to continue at the top, even if Sanju Samson returns to the XI. 

“Even if Sanju Samson comes in, India should stick to Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan at the top. Ishan Kishan needs to hold his shape and find ways to counter the opposition’s bowling plans,” he concluded.