Zimbabwe pull off shock victory over Australia
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COLOMBO: Zimbabwe beat a depleted Australia by 23 runs on Friday in Colombo to pull off the biggest shock of the T20 World Cup so far.
After posting 169-2 in their 20 overs, thanks mainly to Brian Bennett’s classy 64 not out, Zimbabwe had Australia 29-4 before dismissing them for 146 in 19.3 overs.
The Zimbabweans, ranked 11th were always in control against their second-ranked opponents in the Group B game at R. Premadasa Stadium after opening bowlers Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans ripped out Australia’s top order.
There were sensational scenes at the venue as a group of Zimbabwe fans dressed in their team jerseys celebrated the win with a traditional dance.
“It is a huge win for us,” said Bennett. “There are fans who have come all the way from Zimbabwe and they have enjoyed the game and it is a special feeling today to get a win here.”
Muzarabani was the pick of the bowlers finishing with 4-17.
Australia retained hope of a rearguard victory when Glenn Maxwell and Matt Renshaw put on 77 for the fifth wicket.
But once part-time leg-spinner Ryan Burl induced one of the short game’s great players, Maxwell, to drag on to his stumps for 31, they were never in the hunt and tumbled from 106-4 to 146 all out.
Opening batsman Bennett’s unbeaten 64 off 56 balls was an exercise in controlled aggression as he hit seven fours. It was the 22-year-old’s 10th half-century in T20 Internationals.
Zimbabwe thrashed Oman in their opener and their last two group games will be against Ireland and Sri Lanka.
Co-hosts Sri Lanka have also won both their matches so far.
Ryan Burl and Bennett put on 70 for the second wicket, a record stand for Zimbabwe in T20 World Cups after an opening partnership of 61 with Tadiwanashe Marumani.
Australia beat Ireland on Wednesday, but with matches to come against Sri Lanka and Oman, another defeat could see them on the plane home after the group stage.
Without their captain Mitchell Marsh for the second match, and the previously ruled out pace spearheads Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, Australia’s campaign in the 20-nation tournament is in danger of falling apart at the first hurdle.
The former champions were left with more to worry as Marcus Stoinis was struck on his left palm attempting a return catch halfway through his third over.
The all-rounder was accompanied off the field in pain. He did come out to bat but scored only six.
SCOREBOARD
ZIMBABWE:
B. Bennett not out 64
T. Marumani c Inglis b Stoinis 35
R. Burl c (sub) b Green 35
S. Raza not out 25
EXTRAS (LB-3, W-7) 10
TOTAL (for two wickets, 20 overs) 169
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-61 (Marumani), 2-131 (Burl)
DID NOT BAT: D. Myers, T. Munyonga, T. Musekiwa, B. Evans, W. Masakadza, G. Cremer, B. Muzarabani
BOWLING: Dwarshuis 4-0-40-0 (1w), Stoinis 2.5-0-17-1 (2w), Maxwell 1-0-14-0, Kuhnemann 3-0-24-0, Ellis 4-0-34-0 (1w), Zampa 4-0-31-0, Green 1.1-0-6-1 (1w)
AUSTRALIA:
J. Inglis c Musekiwa b Muzarabani 8
T. Head b Evans 17
C. Green c Marumani b Evans 0
T. David c Cremer b Muzarabani 0
G. Maxwell b Burl 31
M. Renshaw c Burl b Muzarabani 65
M. Stoinis c Musekiwa b Masakadza 6
B. Dwarshuis c Munyonga b Evans 6
N. Ellis not out 7
A. Zampa b Muzarabani 2
M. Kuhnemann run out (Evans) 0
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-2) 4
TOTAL (all out, 19.3 overs) 146
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-13 (Inglis), 2-24 (Green), 3-25 (David), 4-29 (Head), 5-106 (Maxwell), 6-117 (Stoinis), 7-131 (Dwarshuis), 8-139 (Renshaw), 9-141 (Zampa)
BOWLING: Raza 2-0-17-0, Muzarabani 4-0-17-4, Evans 3.3-0-23-3 (1w), Myers 1-0-9-0 (1w), Cremer 4-0-33-0, Masakadza 4-0-36-1, Burl 1-0-9-1
RESULT: Zimbabwe won by 23 runs.
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Blessing Muzarabani
Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2026
