TimesofIndia.com in Chennai: Moments before Indian head coach enters stadium Gautam Gambhir Watching West Indies vs South Africa live on mobile. The match is huge and if West Indies win, it could end it before India take on Zimbabwe in Chennai on Thursday. The stakes are high and not just the coach, who usually has a front-row seat on the team bus, but the entire team is watching developments in Ahmedabad. Team Aulakh is no exception and they remain an energetic bunch at the team hotel as Arshdeep’s father Darshan Singh Aulakh doesn’t hesitate to speak up every time the West Indies batsmen hit a big ball.“My family was in the room when the West Indies batsmen were batting. Dad abused me, what are you doing? (The father is abusing what they are doing). So I thought, okay, don’t be angry, enjoy the game and hope South Africa wins and we win the rest of the games. If we play good cricket, the results will take care of themselves. They played well and thanks to them for giving us the chance to decide the outcome. They played well and now we will try to beat them in the final. ” said Ardeep Singh during a media interaction at the Mixed Zone.
West Indies got off to a poor start but bounced back, which also heightened tensions in the Indian camp. A late onslaught from Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd pushed the total from 83/7 to 176/8 and the final fireworks were enough to keep the men in blue focused with the game nearly 2,000 kilometers away. India were in a must-win situation in the Super Eights, but they relinquished complete control after an ordinary game against South Africa that severely hurt their net run-rate. A win for West Indies would have kept them mathematically alive, but the required result fell well short of that. Hardik Pandya It was also revealed that they were “watching closely” but once the result went in their favour, the focus quickly shifted to their own games.
CHENNAI, INDIA – FEBRUARY 26: Hardik Pandya of India takes a shot during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match between India and India. Sri Lanka 2026 Super 8 match between India and Zimbabwe was held on February 26, 2026 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
“We are all paying close attention. You know, the most important thing now is to play good cricket, back your skills, you know, absorb the pressure and make sure you move forward in the best possible way. We are keeping a close watch, but at the same time, once the game is over, we are focused on the fact that this is our game. We need to focus on that,” Hardik said after winning the Man of the Match for his all-round performance against Zimbabwe.South Africa’s clinical run chase saw them regain control of their own area and as they walked out in front of a raucous crowd at the Machidambaram Stadium, the focus returned to playing good cricket. No whistles were allowed during the game, but regular chants and self-taught Mexican waves kept the atmosphere lively as the two teams faced off at midfield. When only formalities remained, the chants of “Abhishek ko Bowling do”, “Tilak ko Bowling do” became louder and even the players interacted with the crowd to keep the mood high in the stands. Tilak cooperated and directed the spectators to bowl to Surya while also rolling his arms as a signal. The atmosphere in training camp seemed good, and the confidence that came with a strong hitting performance showed up in the action on the field during defense. The entire group opted to keep things simple and focus on getting back to the brand of cricket they played in bilateral matches ahead of the multi-nation tournament.
CHENNAI, INDIA – FEBRUARY 26: India’s Tilak Varma takes a shot during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match between India and India. Sri Lanka 2026 Super 8 match between India and Zimbabwe was held on February 26, 2026 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
“After the last game, we as a team and Gautam sir said the same thing, no matter what the situation is, just a reminder of what brand of cricket we have been playing since last year and the way we played the New Zealand series and the South Africa series. So no matter what the situation is, as individuals, just go out, smile and enjoy the game. At the same time, look at the team, what the team needs.” “When you see what the team needs, you don’t feel pressure. You’re always looking at the situation, how the wicket is going, all these things come to mind. You don’t think a guy like me should score, all that goes out of your mind. That’s what we discussed and as individuals we just focused on what the team needed and ultimately we did a good job,” Tilak said at the post-match press conference.Tilak had a start in the Championship but lacked fluidity and especially concentration in the midfield. because Sanzhou Samson Move to the top of the order, Ishan Kishan Dropping to third forced the lefty to change his batting position and face the challenge of batting at a different number in completely different circumstances. He went from a workhorse role in the first few games to a big-bat hitter in the death overs and played his role perfectly. In the 15th over, Tilak combined with Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya at a strike rate of 172/4, amassing 84 runs off just 31 deliveries, and ended up scoring 44 runs off just 16 deliveries. This is not a role he has played before and he is happy to bat in any situation and wherever the team requires.
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Who do you think was more influential in India’s comeback against Zimbabwe?
“I always say that whatever the team needs, I will give my all. So, I have been playing the same role for Mumbai Indians since the last four years in the Indian Premier League and I have also played a few games for Team India. So I am ready for whatever the team needs. , I’m ready. But as I said before, I’m just waiting for the right time, but I’m very confident that I can win games for the team in the future.India’s next game against West Indies at the Eden Gardens is actually a quarter-final, but the atmosphere in the dressing rooms and hotel rooms is expected to be relaxed ahead of the must-win clash. Kudos to South Africa and later for a great performance against Zimbabwe.
