‘Is this some game plan?’ Social media reacts to Shivam Dube bowling final over, slams Suryakumar Yadav | IND vs ZIM

India bounced back strongly in the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 stage, defeating Zimbabwe by 72 runs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The win helped the Men in Blue stay alive in the tournament. Now, Suryakumar Yadav’s team will play a virtual quarterfinal against the West Indies.

However, the victory was not completely smooth. India’s bowling, especially the 6th option, Shivam Dube, raised concerns. The seam-bowling all-rounder conceded 46 runs in just 2 overs.

Dube bowled the final over of the match even though Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya still had one over each left. Since the match was almost decided, Suryakumar chose to give Dube a chance.

Dube struggled badly, bowling 2 no-balls and 4 wides. While the Indian captain let the all-rounder bowler in nearly every match, his inconsistency often raises questions.

Shivam Dube leaked runs in the previous match against South Africa, conceding 32 runs in 2 overs. In 2020, he conceded 34 runs in a single over against New Zealand. It remains the most expensive T20I over by an Indian bowler.

“​If we bowl like this against Big teams in the next matches, 250 won't be enough. Are we papering over the cracks with big runs? The management needs to answer this. NOW,” wrote one of them.

“Team India's run rate is still worse than West Indies. There is a chance of rain during IND vs WI. Still, Suryakumar Yadav gave bowling to Shivam Dube and Zimbabwe scored 46 runs in 2 overs against him. Should have been avoided,” commented another user.

Another user wrote, “He bowled a bunch of wides and gave away 23 runs, somehow managing to finish that over! And, now the final over goes back to him! And he gives away the same 23 runs again! Is this some game plan? Or Illuminati work?”

According to Rahane, Dube’s strength is bowling straight with good bounce and slower bouncers. Bowling wide outside off stump does not suit Dube’s natural style, the former India captain said.

“The team management or the captain wants him to pull slightly wider lines. Wide Yorkers, wider lines. I feel with his pace, that line is pretty much easy to get,” Rahane said on Cricbuzz.

Vaughan also said India wanted to bowl Zimbabwe out for under 108. But, once that did not happen, their intensity dropped.

"But it's been a great day for India, and they are back in the race to win the World Cup. I still believe they are the best T20 team in the world," he told Cricbuzz.