Sunday Feb 22, 2026
Sunday Feb 22, 2026
Saturday, 14 February 2026 00:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Matt Renshaw kept the fifty celebrations low key as Australia slumped to defeat
Blessing Muzarabani tore through the Australian batting for career best figures of 4/17
Brian Bennett held the Zimbabwe innings together with a laboured 64* off 56 balls
Brad Evans celebrates after finishing off the game
It was a famous day in the annals of Zimbabwe cricket at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium yesterday. Zimbabwe who didn’t make the 2024 T20 World Cup pulled off a stunning 23-run win over Australia in a Group B Men’s T20 World Cup fixture to fancy their chances of reaching the Super 8.
Asked to bat first, Zimbabwe scrambled to 169-2 and that score was good enough for them to bowl Australia out for 146 and make it two out of two wins for them against Australia in T20 World Cups.
Zimbabwe routed Australia with pace.
Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans were superb with the new-ball as they sliced through Australia's top-order. Jos Inglis was caught in the deep, Cameron Green and Tim Davies bagged ducks and Travis Head dragged one back onto the stumps to leave them at 29-4. Glenn Maxwell (31 off 32 balls) and Matt Renshaw (65 off 44 balls, 5 fours, 1 six) added 77 off 59 balls for the fifth wicket and brought their team back into the game.
At a crucial phase of the game Zimbabwe lost their skipper Sikandar Raza to cramps and the moment seemed to have been lost. But Ryan Burl came to fill an over and he castled Maxwell. Marcus Stoinis who braved an injury earlier (injured thumb) in the day was dismissed cheaply and the lower-order fell away even as the required rate soared. Renshaw kept fighting, but Evans and Player of the Match Muzarabani came back to apply the finishing touches.
Muzarabani's 4/17 were the best bowling figures for Zimbabwe in Men’s T20 World Cup and the best against a full member team in men’s T20Is, bettering Luke Jongwe’s 4/18 against Pakistan in 2021. He also reached 100 wickets in T20Is when he rattled Adam Zampa’s leg stump.
Zimbabwe assessed the conditions better, they played better cricket and they walked away with two points in the bag. Their fielding was absolutely top class with Tony Munyonga taking a blinder at deep midwicket to dismiss Ben Dwarshuis - a catch that could be rated as the best of the tournament so far.
Brian Bennett laboured hard and ended with a 56-ball 64* (7 fours) for Zimbabwe after they were asked to bat first. Bennett was the anchor around which the other Zimbabwe batsmen batted with a degree of freedom. Tadiwanashe Marumani made 35 off 21 balls, so did Ryan Burl (35 off 30) and Raza finished with a 13-ball 25* (2 fours, 1 six). There was nothing much for Australia in the wickets column, but they did pull things back when the ball became slightly soft.
Australia now stare at a potential group stage exit unless they beat Sri Lanka their next opponents on Monday at Pallekele.
Scores: Zimbabwe 169-2 (20) (Brian Bennett 64*, Tadiwanashe Marumani 35, Ryan Burl 35, Sikander Raza 25*)
Australia 146 (19.3) (Glenn Maxwell 31, Matt Renshaw 65, Blessing Muzarabani 4/17, Brad Evans 3/23)
