West Indies opened their T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 campaign with a thumping 107-run victory over Zimbabwe at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday (February 23).

The two-time champions rode on Shimron Hetmyer's stunning knock of 85 off 34 balls to post the second-highest total in T20 World Cup history, piling up 254/6 in 20 overs. Rovman Powell (59 off 35) and Sherfane Rutherford (31* off 13) also made significant contributions.

With the ball, West Indies bundled Zimbabwe out for 147 in 17.4 overs. Gudakesh Motie claimed four wickets, while Akeal Hosein returned with three scalps.

After the game, legendary spinner Anil Kumble commended the Caribbean side’s all-around display, particularly their spinners’ effectiveness.

“The West Indies understand what it takes to win at this stage of the tournament. The left-arm spinners were outstanding. Gudakesh Motie bowled brilliantly. In this format, finger spinners often try to stay away from the batter’s hitting arc, but Motie and Hosein were different," Kumble was quoted as saying on JioHotstar.

The former India skipper was also effusive in praise of Hetmyer and Powell’s performance with the bat.

“Shimron Hetmyer has long been a finisher and knows how to clear the boundaries. He has the power and the temperament. What stands out is that he doesn’t settle for quick cameos of 20 or 30. He converts them into substantial scores. Had he fallen for 30, perhaps the West Indies wouldn’t have reached 254," Kumble stated.

“Powell is again a proven power-hitter. He took his time initially, but once he settled, he was unstoppable. He strikes the ball extremely hard,” he added.

Having suffered a 76-run thrashing at the hands of South Africa in Ahmedabad, the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian side is facing a must-win situation in their remaining Super 8 fixtures to have any chance of reaching the semi-finals.

Commenting on India’s challenges ahead in the tournament, Kumble said: “Every game counts at this stage. India suffered a significant loss to South Africa, and it wasn’t just about losing but the manner of that defeat. The key question now is whether they can bounce back strongly against Zimbabwe."

Kumble stressed that India need to pull off West Indies-like dominant performance to make the final-four.

“India needs to win convincingly, much like the West Indies did against Zimbabwe, to improve their net run rate. After that, they must beat the West Indies as well. The primary focus should be on winning both matches. The net run rate will naturally improve if they are in control of the game," he concluded.

India will face Zimbabwe in their next Super 8 clash on February 22 at Chepauk, followed by the West Indies on March 1 in Kolkata.