Zimbabwe produced one of the biggest surprises at the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, beating injury-plagued Australia by 23 runs in a gripping Group B match on Friday. It was the second time the African side had beaten the former champions in this format, recalling their famous victory in 2007. With clinical batting and a brutal bowling performance, Zimbabwe’s collective performance outshone a team that never really recovered from its early collapse.Scorecard: T20 World Cup Australia vs ZimbabweOpener Brian Bennett sealed the innings with an unbeaten 64 as Zimbabwe posted 169 for two on a sluggish pitch after being asked to bat. Australia’s pursuit faltered almost immediately and, despite resistance from the middle order, they were bowled out for 146 in 19.3 overs, handing Zimbabwe a famous win to open up Group B.
Hot topics from this exciting game R Premadasa Stadium In Colombo:Early collapse sets toneAustralia’s quest for 170 runs turned disastrous in the Powerplay as only 29 runs were scored for four wickets. The dismissals of Travis Head, Cameron Green and Tim David put huge pressure on the batting line-up, forcing them to go into rebuilding mode on the pitch, which helped the disciplined bowling. Zimbabwe’s seamers remained tight, refusing to allow boundaries at crucial stages and ensuring the asking price climbed steadily.Bennett leads blueprint for smart battingZimbabwe’s game is based on patience rather than brute force. Bennett’s composed batting featured seven boundaries, allowing the partners to take turns batting and keep the scoreboard ticking. Tadiwanashe Marumani’s brisk 35 and captain Sikandar Raza’s brilliant late performance ensured the team crossed the 160-run mark, which proved to be more than enough on a slow track. While Australia controlled the do-or-die innings well, Zimbabwe’s cautious approach had laid the foundation for victory.Muzarabani’s fiery spell breaks Australia’s backboneThe decisive phase of the match is decided by the ball because Blessings to Muzarabani Produced amazing speed and accuracy, with return figures of 4/17. Zimbabwe kept up the pressure with support from Brad Evans and Wellington Masakaza. Each break halted Australia’s momentum just as they threatened to mount a comeback, turning the chase into a battle against the scoreboard and disciplinary bowling.Maxwell-Renshaw’s stand fuels hopes, but Bull delivers blowAustralia briefly regained their chances through 77 runs from Matt Renshaw and Glenn Maxwell. Their stand steadied the innings and brought the score down to a manageable level before Ryan Burl struck the decisive blow, dismissing Maxwell and triggering another collapse. Bennett’s stunning catch and razor-sharp defending in the final over sealed Zimbabwe’s dominance, with Matthew Kooneman’s dramatic exit ending the game.
