T20 World Cup: Pressure does funny things to teams, says Zimbabwe’s Burl

That India and Zimbabwe desperately need a win is not lost on Ryan Burl. In fact, the Zimbabwe all-rounder wants his team to channel the energy and not get bogged down by the added pressure when the two sides meet in the ICC T20 World Cup Super Eight game at the MAC Stadium here on Thursday (February 26, 2026).

“It’s obviously a must-win game for us. It’s also a must-win game for India. There’s a lot at stake here, being a World Cup game,” Burl said on Wednesday (February 25, 2026).

“Playing India in India is a challenge in itself. They obviously got home-ground advantage, but there is the added pressure of both teams needing to win tomorrow’s [February 26, 2026] match. Pressure does funny things to teams.”

Asked about Indian batters’ recent struggles against finger spinners, Burl said: “It’s something that we have taken into account. We’ve done our homework, and it’s something that we would be silly to ignore going into the game.”

Burl also confirmed that skipper Sikandar Raza, who had an injury scare during the match against West Indies, is fit to play.

“Sikandar Raza is 100% playing. Good luck telling him that he’s not going to play against India,” Burl emphasised.