"India, the defending champions and tournament co-hosts, 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. West Indies, meanwhile, had been building some momentum until they ran into the mightily impressive South Africa in their last Super Eights match."
"India have endured a mixed tournament so far, with their top-order batters failing to fire. A below-par victory in their opening group-stage match against the USA was quickly forgotten, following a comprehensive win to seal qualification against rivals Pakistan. With their progress to the second phase assured, India sealed top spot with a third win in three by beating the Netherlands."
"For India, the Super Eights began with a defeat at the hands of South Africa, the side they overcame in the 2024 final, making the match against Zimbabwe a must-win. Abhishek Sharma returned to form with a fifty at the top in a 72-run win against the Africans; however, all-rounder Hardik Pandya was named Player of the Match for his half-century and his performance with the ball."
India and West Indies compete for the final semifinal spot at the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on March 1. India, the defending champions and tournament co-hosts, have struggled with inconsistent top-order batting but secured top spot in their group with three consecutive wins. They recently defeated Zimbabwe after losing to South Africa. West Indies had built momentum with four consecutive victories before suffering a nine-wicket defeat to South Africa. India faces the historic challenge of becoming the first team to retain the T20 World Cup title and win on home soil. The winner of this Super Eights match advances directly to the semifinals.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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