'Cannot take Zimbabwe lightly': Anil Kumble warns India

Former India skipper Anil Kumble has warned the team against complacency ahead of their Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in Chennai on Thursday. He urged the Men in Blue to stick to their natural aggressive approach but remain wary of the threat posed by Zimbabwe.


India head into the contest under pressure after suffering a 76-run defeat to Aiden Markram’s South Africa in their opening Super 8 fixture. The loss has left them in a must-win situation. To stay in contention, India need victories over Zimbabwe and West Indies while also significantly improving their poor Net Run Rate of -3.800.



Speaking on JioHotstar, Kumble emphasised that while India should back their attacking style, they must not underestimate Zimbabwe’s recent performances.

Kumble pointed to Zimbabwe’s impressive group-stage campaign, which included a win over Australia and a successful chase of 179 against co-hosts Sri Lanka. He also underlined the influence of fast bowlers Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans, who have made life difficult for opposition batters with their bounce and movement in the Powerplay.

"India need to play their natural, aggressive brand of cricket against Zimbabwe. But Zimbabwe are going to be a tough opponent, and they must be respected. They have delivered some strong performances. They beat Australia. They chased down 179 against Sri Lanka on Sri Lankan soil. They have convincingly beaten Australia. Their top four batters have been in excellent form. Their tall fast bowlers, Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans, have been outstanding with the ball, especially in the Powerplay," Kumble said on JioHotstar.

He reiterated that India cannot afford to lower their guard, especially in a tournament of this magnitude.

"India cannot take them lightly. They need to be at the top of their game. Any individual who gets going must make it count. You cannot assume the next batter will do the job. In the T20 World Cup, there are no ifs and buts. You have to go out and deliver as an individual. So yes, you hope for the right result, but India must focus on doing what they need to do," Kumble added.

Also See: IND vs ZIM Live Score



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