India vs Zimbabwe, Super 8,T20 World Cup 2026:India will take on Zimbabwe in their second Group 1 Super 8 match at theMA Chidambaram Stadium,Chennai, on Thursday, February 26, 2026. This is a must-win game for the defending champions, and a big win here will make their job a lot easier going into their final Super 8 encounter against the West Indies at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Chennai has historically been a ground where dew can have a major say in the outcome of the match, and for India, it can be concerning, especially if they lose the toss and are asked to bat first.
In light of the dew factor, the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) turned to the United States of America to import a new chemical, known as the 'Dew Cure', that can significantly neutralise the dew factor and eradicate any moisture on the Chepauk outfield in the evening, leaving the grass dry, according to a report by the Indian Express. Given the fact that the match starts at 7 pm IST, this can give a level playing field to both teams and increase India's chances of pulling off a convincing win, considering they go into the match as outright favourites.
Jasprit Bumrah is taking a brief break amid a practice session (Subham Mondal/Special Arrangement)
According to the report, it has already been used extensively at Major League Baseball venues, and the Chepauk groundstaff have already deployed the ‘Dew Cure’ solution, spraying the chemical mixed with water on Tuesday and Wednesday, and are expected to spray it again on Thursday afternoon to ensure maximum impact ahead of Thursday's encounter.
“Once Dew Cure is sprayed, it ensures that there is no moisture on the grass leaves. As soon as it gets wet, it will be absorbed, and the grass leaves will turn dry,” according to sources, the report further stated.
Gautam Gambhir is seen offering advice during a practice session. (Subham Mondal/Special Arrangement)
The Chepauk outfield was relaid ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, and the TNCA, drawing from their Indian Premier League (IPL) experience, had anticipated the issue, and therefore, the arrangement to import the chemical from the US was made before the ICC marquee event kicked off. And no team would be left more happier, given the current circumstances, than India. It is learnt that they were pretty happy with the conditions during their practice session on Wednesday.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is mulling over making the use of 'Dew Cure' mandatory across all venues in the IPL from this season, the report also highlighted.
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