Colombo, February 13, 2026 –Zimbabwe vs Australia On a sweltering afternoon in Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe produced the first major “giant-killing” of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Led by a career-best bowling performance from Blessing Muzarabani and a gritty unbeaten half-century from Brian Bennett, the Chevrons defended 169 with clinical precision, leaving a star-studded Australian side reeling.
Zimbabwe vs Australia Match Overview: A Script Flipped
Australia won the toss and elected to bowl, hoping to exploit the early moisture. However, Zimbabwe’s openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani had other ideas. They put on a solid 61-run opening stand that silenced the Australian pacers. Even as wickets fell, captain Sikandar Raza’s late-inning cameo (25 off 13) propelled Zimbabwe to a competitive 169/2.
The chase for Australia turned into a nightmare in the Powerplay. Blessing Muzarabani struck with his very first ball to remove Josh Inglis, and within 5 overs, Australia was 34/4. A 77-run partnership between Matt Renshaw (65) and Glenn Maxwell (31) briefly revived hopes, but the pressure of the rising run rate proved too much. Muzarabani returned to dismantle the tail, securing a 23-run win and his 100th T20I wicket in the process.
Match Scorecard: Detailed Statistics
1st Innings: Zimbabwe Batting
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Brian Bennett | not out | 64 | 56 | 5 | 0 | 114.28 |
| T. Marumani (wk) | c Tim David b Marcus Stoinis | 35 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 116.66 |
| Ryan Burl | c sub (Bartlett) b Cameron Green | 35 | 21 | 2 | 2 | 166.66 |
| Sikandar Raza (c) | not out | 25 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 192.30 |
| Extras | (lb 4, w 6) | 10 | – | – | – | – |
| TOTAL | (20 Overs) | 169/2 | RR: 8.45 |
Australia Bowling Performance
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
| Marcus Stoinis | 3.4 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 7.63 |
| Cameron Green | 4.0 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 8.00 |
| Nathan Ellis | 4.0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 7.75 |
| Adam Zampa | 4.0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 8.75 |
| Ben Dwarshuis | 3.0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 11.00 |
| Matthew Kuhnemann | 1.2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4.50 |
2nd Innings: Australia Batting (Target: 170)
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Josh Inglis | c Musekiwa b Muzarabani | 10 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 166.66 |
| Travis Head (c) | b Brad Evans | 17 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 113.33 |
| Cameron Green | c & b Brad Evans | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Tim David | c Musekiwa b Muzarabani | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Glenn Maxwell | b Ryan Burl | 31 | 32 | 3 | 0 | 96.87 |
| Matt Renshaw | c Ryan Burl b Muzarabani | 65 | 44 | 5 | 2 | 147.72 |
| Marcus Stoinis | c Munyonga b Muzarabani | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Ben Dwarshuis | c Tony Munyonga b Brad Evans | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 83.33 |
| Nathan Ellis | not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Adam Zampa | b Blessing Muzarabani | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| M. Kuhnemann | run out (Burl/Evans) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | (lb 2, w 8) | 10 | – | – | – | – |
| TOTAL | (19.3 Overs) | 146 (All Out) | RR: 7.48 |
Zimbabwe Bowling Performance
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
| Blessing Muzarabani | 4.0 | 0 | 17 | 4 | 4.25 |
| Brad Evans | 3.3 | 0 | 21 | 3 | 6.00 |
| Ryan Burl | 2.0 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 9.00 |
| Sikandar Raza | 2.0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7.00 |
| W. Masakadza | 4.0 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 10.25 |
| Graeme Cremer | 4.0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 8.25 |
Post-Match Analysis: Key Takeaways
1. The Muzarabani Masterclass
Blessing Muzarabani was the architect of this victory. His height allowed him to extract awkward bounce on a Colombo track that was starting to stay low. Removing Tim David and Cameron Green for ducks destroyed the middle order’s confidence, and his final spell to remove the set Matt Renshaw was the final nail in the coffin.
2. Australia’s Injury Woes
The absence of regular captain Mitchell Marsh (groin) and frontline pacers like Pat Cummins was glaringly evident. To make matters worse, Marcus Stoinis suffered a thumb injury while bowling, and although he came out to bat, he looked clearly restricted. Australia’s squad depth is being tested to its absolute limit.
3. Bennett’s Anchoring Brilliance
In a format often dominated by strike rates, Brian Bennett played the perfect “sheet-anchor” role. His unbeaten 64 allowed the aggressive Ryan Burl and Sikandar Raza to play freely at the other end. Zimbabwe’s total of 169/2 is now the lowest T20WC total for a team losing two or fewer wickets—a testament to how tough the conditions were.
4. Superman in the Deep
The turning point of the late-inning chase was Tony Munyonga’s sensational diving catch to dismiss Ben Dwarshuis. With 41 needed off 18, Australia still had a glimmer of hope, but Munyonga’s “catch of the tournament” contender effectively sealed the result.
Player of the Match: Blessing Muzarabani
For his match-winning figures of 4/17, which included his milestone 100th T20I wicket.