In the Group-B match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Zimbabwe surprised the cricket world and defeated tournament favorites Australia by 23 runs. Zimbabwe, batting first, scored 169/2 in 20 overs. Brian Bennett played a brilliant inning of 64 not out, while Tadivanashe Marumani and captain Sikandar Raza also made important contributions. Australia’s response never gained momentum. Their batsmen kept losing wickets frequently and the entire team was all out for 146 runs in 19.3 overs.
Great performance by Zimbabwe
Blessing Muzarabani led Zimbabwe’s bowling in the second innings and recorded career-best figures of 4/17. Brad Evans also took 3 wickets at crucial times. Matt Renshaw played a hard-working inning of 65 runs for Australia, but he could not get the support of the rest of the team.
historical moment
The win is believed to be the biggest upset of the tournament and is only the second time Zimbabwe has defeated Australia in the T20 World Cup, the first being in 2007. Zimbabwe’s win keeps them alive in their hopes of reaching the Super Eight stage, while Australia’s campaign has suffered a major setback.
After the match, captain Sikandar Raza praised the team’s hard work and belief. Australia captain Travis Head acknowledged the team’s problems but expressed hope for improvement in the remaining matches. It will be very important for Australia to win in the next matches of Group B, while Zimbabwe will try to maintain their excellent rhythm.
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