T20 World Cup 2026: Suryakumar Yadav and company’s chances of making it to the semi-finals are in jeopardy after losing to South Africa by a staggering 76 runs.
On Thursday, India will play Zimbabwe in a crucial T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk, Chennai. After losing to South Africa by a staggering 76 runs, Suryakumar Yadav and company’s hopes of making it to the semi-finals are in jeopardy; they must not only win their next two games against Zimbabwe and the West Indies, but also hope for some favor. Overall, India cannot afford any mistakes from this point.
The team plays a night game at Chepauk versus Zimbabwe. The location provides a significant amount of dew during the second innings, which aids batting and makes bowling equally difficult.
According to a source in The Indian Express, Chepauk Stadium is utilizing a new imported chemical called “Dew Cure” to combat the challenge and ensure fairness throughout the game. Details were provided, including the fact that the chemical was imported from the US.
According to the report, “Dew Cure” was sprayed on the ground on Tuesday and Wednesday with the intention of repeating the application on Thursday afternoon in order to cut down on dew during the India vs. Zimbabwe night game.
During the game, humidity levels are expected to be between 80 and 90 percent. By the middle of the second inning, the ball may be moist and the outfield may become smooth.
Chepauk has historically been a surface dominated by spinners. Batting demands patience as the ball twists and the pitch grips. However, that edge wanes as soon as the turf gets wet and the white ball starts to skid. Balls of length come on more quickly. Shots that are mistimed travel farther. Bowlers, not batters, have a smaller margin of error.
As a result, the toss is no longer merely ceremonial. When heavy dew is predicted, captains in Chennai nearly always choose to pursue. Using a wet ball to defend a total is a completely different skill. Slower balls lose bite, grip becomes erratic, and yorkers become more difficult to perform.
Both Zimbabwe and India have lost their Super Eight games going into Chepauk. South Africa destroyed the reigning champs, giving up 76 runs more than they could muster. Zimbabwe performed even worse, losing by 107 runs to the West Indies, which revealed flaws in both the bat and the ball.
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