Brian Bennett’s career-best effort was not enough to rescue Zimbabwe, who fell to a 72-run defeat to India national cricket team in their second Super Eight clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Thursday.
Chasing a daunting 257 for victory, the Chevrons managed 184 for six, anchored by Bennett’s superb unbeaten 97, a mature and composed knock that once again showcased his rising value at the top of the order.
The 22-year-old opener struck his third half-century of the tournament and the 12th of his T20 career, underlining his consistency in a batting unit that has battled for rhythm throughout the competition.
Zimbabwe’s bowlers endured a bruising outing, struggling to contain India’s relentless aggression and conceding heavily during key passages of play. Failure to break dangerous partnerships early left them staring at a near-impossible chase.
Despite the loss which ends their hopes of a semi-final berth, Bennett’s innings provided a rare bright spot. The Chevrons now shift their attention to their final Super Eight fixture against the South Africa national cricket team on Sunday, where they will be aiming to close their campaign on a positive note.
The defending champions, India, reinvigorated their title push with the victory and will meet the West Indies cricket team in their concluding Super Eight encounter.
