India vs Zimbabwe, T20 World Cup 2022 Match Playing XI tip-off: With virtually one foot in the semifinals, Team India will look to not goof up at the last moment when they face off against Zimbabwe at the MCG in their last Super 12 encounter on Sunday. Since defeating Pakistan, Zimbabwe’s form has gone downhill and India might look to ring in a few changes to give more minutes to some fringe players while giving much-needed rest to some first team regulars.
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Yuzvendra Chahal in place of Ravichandran Ashwin
Will Yuzvendra Chahal finally get a chance to play a match in the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup stage on Sunday? The wily bowler has, thus far, being relegated to the bench but he might get a look in against Zimbabwe if India look to rest the veteran Ashwin before their semifinal match. If Chahal does start, he’ll have to bowl out of his skin on an MCG pitch that historically does not have much purchase for the spinners and is often considered a batter’s paradise. Chahal will have to take it in stride and hope to impress the team management to stay in contention for the next match.
Rishabh Pant in for Dinesh Karthik
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As Dinesh Karthik’s less than stellar form continues in the T20 World Cup, rumblings from all around the cricketing circles have grown in favour of Rishabh Pant’s inclusion. Against Bangladesh, everyone thought that due to Karthik’s injury in the previous match against South Africa, the swashbuckling Pant would get a chance to showcase his talent. To everyone’s surprise, however, Karthik would still start over Pant against the Bangla Tigers. Karthik would go on to score just 7 before being dismissed against Bangladesh and according to experts, Sunday would be the perfect time to put Pant in the starting XI against Zimbabwe in place of Karthik.
Harshal Patel for Mohammad Shami or Arshdeep Singh
Pacer Harshal Patel may be drafted in the playing 11 against Zimbabwe more for his batting than for his bowling on Sunday. The team management might opt for him to solidify the lower middle order so that India has a longer tail and can bat deeper into the innings. Patel might also be included against a relatively weak Zimbabwe side so that the regular pacers like Mohammad Shami and Arshdeep Singh can get a much-needed break before the semifinals. With his slower balls, Harshal can be a deadly weapon in India’s arsenal and the MCG pitch might assist him early on as he will get genuine bounce from the pitch initially.
