India Stays Alive in T20 World Cup

The T20 World Cup is heating up, with defending champions India keeping their title defence alive after a convincing 72-run victory over Zimbabwe. The win eliminates Zimbabwe from the tournament and keeps India in the hunt for a semi-final spot.

According to the T20 World Cup permutations, England and South Africa have already secured their places in the semi-finals, leaving two spots up for grabs. India's win over Zimbabwe has given them a chance to make it to the knockout stage, but they will need to wait for the outcome of other matches to confirm their spot.

India's victory was built on a strong batting performance, with opener Abhishek Sharma top-scoring with 55 runs off 30 balls, including four fours and four sixes. All-rounder Hardik Pandya also made a significant contribution, scoring a 23-ball half-century, including a six off the final ball of the innings. Tilak Varma's unbeaten 44 runs off 16 balls also helped India post a total of 256-4, the second-highest score in T20 World Cup history.

Chasing 257, Zimbabwe opener Brian Bennett showed his skills, registering his third unbeaten half-century in the tournament. However, his efforts were not enough to take Zimbabwe to victory, as they fell short by 72 runs.

Meanwhile, in other sports news, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs has expressed his confidence in being the best defender in the NFL draft, stating that positional value should not be the only factor in selecting players. Downs believes that his skills and abilities make him the top defender in the draft, and he hopes to be recognized as such.

In the United Football League (UFL), changes are being made to the scoring system, with four points to be awarded for field goals of at least 60 yards, starting from the 2026 season. The UFL is also banning most punts inside the opponent's 50-yard line, in an effort to make the game more exciting.

As the T20 World Cup continues, fans will be eagerly waiting to see which teams will make it to the semi-finals and ultimately, the final. With India still in the running, the tournament is heating up, and the competition is getting fiercer.

Sources:
- T20 World Cup permutations: What do teams need to reach semis?
- India beat Zimbabwe to keep title defence alive
- India ease past Zimbabwe to stay in semi-final hunt at T20 World Cup
- Downs believes he's best defender in NFL draft
- UFL making changes on field goal points, punts