Abhishek Sharma is confident that champions India have rediscovered their mojo with ideal timing at the T20 World Cup after a record-breaking batting display buried Zimbabwe in Chennai.
"The Indian team is back, the way we wanted, the way we've been the whole year," boomed the opener, who rediscovered his best form too on Thursday with a half-century in Chennai that set them up to amass 4-256, the second-highest total ever witnessed in the competition.
When Zimbabwe's admirable but always futile chase eventually closed on 6-184, the co-hosts' 72-run victory ensured they'll now face a winner-takes-all clash against the West Indies on Sunday to determine who'll join South Africa from their group in the semi-finals.
Unbeaten South Africa had booked their place by defeating West Indies by nine wickets in Ahmedabad earlier on Thursday.
But after their own shock hammering by the Proteas at the weekend, this was the power-packed Indians' emphatic answer against the Zimbabwean surprise packets who'd accounted for Australia so sensationally in Sri Lanka.
After being invited to bat, all six of the Indian batters, uniquely, struck at a rate of 150-plus as they almost toppled the all-time record World Cup total of 6-260 set by Sri Lanka against Kenya in Johannesburg in 2007.
The total, though, easily eclipsed India's best, the 4-218 against England in Durban in 2007.
Abishek's own rejuvenation seemed to inspire them. After three successive ducks and another knock of just 15, the world's No.1-ranked T20 batter blasted back into business with 55 off 30 balls at the top of the order.
He set the tone with Sanju Samson (24 off 15) as they slammed 48 off 22 balls, and India wouldn't take their foot off the gas as Ishan Kishan hit 38 off 24 and captain Suryakumar Yadav 33 off 13.
The 'finishers' were Hardik Pandya, with his 50no off 23 balls, and Tilak Varma, who scored quicker than anyone with his 44no off 16. Between them, the sensational six clocked 17 sixes.
There was no way Zimbabwe, without the same brand of power-hitting, could get anywhere near that total but admirable opener Brian Bennett and his equally impressive captain Sikandar Raza (31 off 21) gave it all they could.
Bennett, who's had a wonderful tournament to become the second-top scorer, ended up 97no off 59 balls, having hit six sixes in his brave knock.
Dismissed just once in five innings, the man whose unbeaten half-century proved the keystone of the win over Australia now has a handy average of 267 for the tournament!
"To be very honest we could have been a little bit more clinical with the ball, but it's fine, a win is a win," said Yadav.
"I don't want to take any credit away from the Zimbabwe batters - they batted beautifully - but we could have been a little bit smarter."
But looking forward to the huge match at Eden Gardens on Sunday, he added: "But we'll tighten our screws when we go and play the West Indies."
HIGHEST SCORES IN T20 WORLD CUP HISTORY
6-260 Sri Lanka v Kenya, Johannesburg, 2007
4-256 India v Zimbabwe, Chennai, 2026
6-254 West Indies v Zimbabwe, Mumbai, 2026
5-235 Ireland v Oman, Colombo, 2026
8-230 England v South Africa, Mumbai, 2016
4-229 South Africa v England, Mumbai 2016
