Not many would have expected the India-Zimbabwe clash to be the biggest game for the defending champions before the start of the Super 8s stage of T20 World Cup 2026. However, a massive 76-run defeat to South Africa in Ahmedabad means that India's title defence has officially entered do-or-die zone, starting from the game against Zimbabwe.
Of course, two wins might also not be enough if West Indies beats South Africa earlier on Thursday (February 26) as the net run rate factor would then come into picture. Historically, India have mostly been dented by the net run rate factor, especially in World Cups. Remember the T20 World Cup in 2012 when three teams were locked on two wins apiece but India missed out due to poor NRR.
Regardless, the India-Zimbabwe game is a massive one and the buzz is building up significantly for this fixture. As part of ensuring smooth travel for the fans who are planning to watch match at Chepauk, Chennai Metro has come up with a nice gesture. Metro rail service will be free for people travelling from their respective metro stations towards the stadium.
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The match day ticket will be enough to give them access to metros and this is a strong move to curtail the road traffic which is expected to hit peak levels on Thursday evening. Remember, this offer is only valid during the match time, which means from roughly 6 pm till midnight.
Apart from the buzz of a must-win game, fans at Chepauk are also excited about Sanju Samson's potential return to the playing XI. The Kerala batter recently joined the Chennai Super Kings franchise and is set to play his first international game at Chepauk, if the hints from India's training session are anything to go by.
