'Fearless' India head to West Indies winner-takes-all decider with renewed confidence

[p]Hot favourites to defend their title on home soil, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/india/fcOzl2uI/"]India[/a] thrashed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/zimbabwe/pCUnmKBm/"]Zimbabwe[/a] by 72 runs in Chennai [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/cricket/india-fcOzl2uI/zimbabwe-pCUnmKBm/?mid=zPItDNxq"]on Thursday[/a] to bounce back from their heavy defeat against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-africa/tUhlKzIm/"]South Africa[/a] in their Super Eights opener.[/p][p]India's batting, led by opener Abhishek Sharma's blistering 55, and an unbeaten 50 by Hardik Pandya, piled up 256-4, the second-highest total in the history of the tournament.[/p][p]In a brutal show of power hitting, the Indian batters demolished the opposition bowling with 17 sixes and 17 fours at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.[/p][p]India face the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/west-indies/jTD1lMfO/"]West Indies[/a], who went down to South Africa by nine wickets, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/cricket/india-fcOzl2uI/west-indies-jTD1lMfO/?mid=fqh3yxaB"]in Kolkata on Sunday[/a] to decide the second semi-finalist from Group 1.[/p][p][b]"We want to play the fearless cricket, the brand of cricket we played today and we played since last year,"[/b] batter Tilak Varma said.[/p][p]"The same intent we want to keep in the next game as well. And going ahead in the tournament, we take the same intensity (forward)."[/p][p]The left-handed Varma hit a 19-ball 44 as he put together an unbeaten 84-run stand with Pandya, who capped off the innings with two sixes to raise his fifty.[/p][p]It all came together for India after they rejigged their opening combination with the return of Sanju Samson, who handed the team a quick start with his 24 off 15 balls.[/p][p]The left-handed Abhishek hit form with his first T20 World Cup fifty after he struggled in the tournament with three ducks in four innings.[/p][p][b]"It's important when the openers give us a good start, the same confidence follows to number three, four and five,"[/b] said Varma.[/p][p]"And we discussed that whatever the situation is, (even) if we lose three-four wickets in powerplay, we will bat with the same rhythm," he added.[/p][p][b]"And we want to show the fear in opposition bowlers, that these guys are ready to hit each and every ball."[/b][/p][embed guid="e0b9f87e-4d8a-4634-873b-ddcc4ac9844f" url="https://x.com/StarSportsIndia/status/2027091090516627919" social-type="twitter" /][h2]'Keep that intensity'[/h2][p]India, the world's top-ranked T20 team, came into the World Cup on the back of huge totals in bilateral contests, and were tipped to cross the 300-run mark at the tournament.[/p][p]But their batting had looked fragile and was often exposed, including by minnows the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/usa/Oh5eIakL/"]United States[/a], who reduced them to 77-6 in their opener.[/p][p]Varma remains cautious of his team's plans against the West Indies, who posted 254-6 against Zimbabwe in their Super Eights opener.[/p][p][b]"So if the wicket is not good, then we'll adjust, and we'll keep that intensity on,"[/b] said Varma.[/p][p]"I would not say we want to score more than 250 - but if we get a good start, then of course we'll go for it."[/p][p]The Indian bowling has looked good.[/p][p]On Thursday, left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh returned figures of 3-24 to limit Zimbabwe to 184-6.[/p][p]He surpassed senior paceman Jasprit Bumrah as the leading bowler for India at the T20 World Cup with 35 wickets to Bumrah's 33.[/p][p][b]"We have been doing well for the past couple of years, so even after a blip or a defeat, the belief of the group was there,"[/b] Arshdeep told reporters.[/p][p]"We knew we just have to come and follow our processes, and the result will come our way. So the thought was very simple and we are enjoying it."[/p][p]The 2024 champions have the weight of history against them. No team has ever retained the T20 World Cup and no side have ever won the trophy on home soil.[/p]