Colombo19 February. Zimbabwe pulled off another upset in the preliminary league stage of the ICC T20 World Cup cricket tournament here as they thrashed joint hosts Sri Lanka by six wickets with three balls to spare after Australia and finished their campaign unbeaten in the five-team Group B.
Zimbabwe remain unbeaten in the 2026 #T20WorldCup group stages with a brilliant victory over Sri Lanka
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— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) February 19, 2026
: : Bennett and Alexander’s innings were heavy on Pathum’s fifty.
R. Sri Lanka, who came to bat first at the Premadasa Stadium, scored 178 runs for seven wickets with the help of opener Pathum Nissanka’s half-century (62 runs, 41 balls, eight fours). Zimbabwe scored 182 runs for four wickets in 19.3 overs with the half-century of opener Brian Bennett (unbeaten 63 runs, 48 balls, eight fours) and the aggressive innings of captain Sikandar Raza (45 runs, 26 balls, four sixes, two fours).
Zimbabwe top Group B
However, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe had already secured a place in the Super 8 from the group. But in this match, the unbeaten streak of Sri Lanka (six points) was also broken and Zimbabwe reached the top with seven points.
Zimbabwe topple Sri Lanka in a tense chase to finish atop Group B
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— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) February 19, 2026
Bennett added 69-69 runs with Marumani and Raza.
In front of the challenging target, Bennett and T. Marumani (34 runs, 26 balls, one six, five fours) added 69 runs for the first wicket. After Marumani returned in the ninth over, Ryan Burl (23 runs, 12 balls, one six, two fours) supported Bennett. In the end there was a partnership of 69 runs between Sikandar Raza and Bennett.
Sikandar Raza’s brisk 45 made the difference as Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka in the #T20WorldCup 2026
He wins the @aramco P.O.T.M.
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— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) February 19, 2026
score card
However, ‘Player of the Match’ Raza also returned in the 19th over. But Bennett and Tony Munyonga (eight runs not out, three balls, one six) returned unbeaten after giving the team the floor. Zimbabwe needed eight runs in the last over and Munyonga created joy in the Zimbabwean camp by hitting a six off Teekshana. Dushan Hemanta took two wickets.
Nissanka and Kusal Perera added 54 quick runs
Earlier in the Sri Lankan innings, opener Kusal Perera (22) and last match’s century-winner Pathum Nissanka made a quick partnership of 54 runs in 4.5 overs. Sri Lanka had scored 61 runs for one wicket in the powerplay, but after this Zimbabwe’s spinners put brakes on the run rate.
It was fortunate that Pawan Ratnayake (44 runs, 25 balls, two sixes, three fours) showed sharp hands later and scored 30 runs in the last two overs. For Zimbabwe, Blessing Muzarabani, Brad Evans and Graeme Cremer shared six wickets among themselves.
Stunning performances across the day’s action at #T20WorldCup 2026
Read more on the day’s play
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— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) February 19, 2026
West Indies unbeatable in Group C, Afghanistan’s second win in Group D
In the day’s two other matches, West Indies remained unbeaten after beating Italy by 42 runs in Kolkata to finish Group C with a maximum of eight points. Afghanistan, which was deprived of the Super 8 ticket, registered its second win in Group D by defeating Canada by 82 runs in Chennai. Canada lost all four of its matches.
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