T20 World Cup 2026: No power in PowerPlay hurts India's batting plans

Not too long ago, India were considered to be an invincible T20I side, although that term is a double-edged sword for this format. Nevertheless, it was a justified tag, given India's unprecedented form in T20Is since end of 2024 T20 World Cup. Fastforward to now and the tournament co-hosts stand on the brink of elimination in the Super 8s itself.

It could all change, of course, but India find themselves in a soup with must-win games lined up against Zimbabwe and West Indies respectively. Even those wins might not be enough if West Indies beats South Africa in Ahmedabad, as the net run rate battle could see the defending champions crashing out. So, what's gone wrong? To put it simply, the batting, especially the top order has just not clicked.

Since the 2024 T20 World Cup ended, India have clocked the highest run rate in the PowerPlay at 9.87 runs-per-over, a phenomenal stat which is second only to England among the teams in the Super 8s stage. Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and recently, Ishan Kishan, were all going great guns to get India off to fast starts.

Remember, three of the five 250-plus totals in T20Is have been made by India, all of which have come during this phase. These extraordinary starts have gone a long way in deflating the opponents very early in the match, forcing them to go on the defensive way earlier than they would wanted to. In T20 World Cup 2026, though, India's average score in the PowerPlay is 55, which in itself is deceiving.

This average score is inflated by the 86-run PowerPlay that they achieved against Namibia. With all due respect to Gerhard Erasmus' side, their bowling attack with the new ball have been far from menacing. The average PowerPlay total from the next four games is a shade under 48 - a far cry from India's usual trends.

Abhishek's three ducks has been a huge problem in this setback while Kishan also hasn't really got things moving on a consistent basis. Tilak Varma, who batted at no.3 quite a lot, has also struggled since return from injury while Sanju Samson has been on the sidelines since Kishan's entry. All in all, there has been no real power to India's PowerPlay.

With the team entering do-or-die zone, India will be tested, more in their mentality than the skill set. They have this PowerPlay obstacle to clear but it will require clarity and fearless nature in the batting. Right now, with pressure mounting, can India's batters roar back into form? If Abhishek regains his mojo, it will be the tonic that India needs to power its World Cup campaign back on track.