Why Washington Sundar is Not Playing Today in IND vs ZIM T20 World Cup Match 2026?

In a crucial Super 8 encounter of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, India face Zimbabwe at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. Both teams enter the contest under pressure as it is a must-win game. The Men in Blue are coming after a heavy defeat to South Africa in their first Super 8 fixture, while Zimbabwe are also coming on the back of a loss against the West Indies.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza has won the toss and opted to bowl first. The Chepauk surface traditionally favours spin and tends to slow down under lights. The Indian side has made two changes in their lineup from the previous outing, as Washington Sundar has been dropped from this Super 8 fixture.

Why Washington Sundar is Not Playing Today in IND vs ZIM T20 World Cup 2026?

The Indian management has dropped the likes of right-arm off-spinner Washington Sundar for this clash against Zimbabwe. The Indian skipper, Suryakumar Yadav, describes it as a tactical change as Axar Patel has been brought back in as Washington Sundar replacement.

This change was highly anticipated as Axar Patel has been India's standout player in the T20 format, and his absence in the previous game might have hurt the Men in Blue. After India’s previous match, the team management said that vice-captain Axar Patel was left out only to maintain the right team balance as India had set up their bowling plans keeping certain middle-overs match-ups in mind, but that move didn't work in their favour.

In that game, South Africa thrashed India by 76 runs in a one-sided contest. The defeat also ended India’s run of 18 straight wins in ICC white-ball events. This streak had continued since their loss to Australia in the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium.