Colombo, February 13, 2026: In a stunning upset at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Zimbabwe defeated tournament favourites Australia by 23 runs in a thrilling group-stage encounter.
Chasing 170, Australia faltered under early pressure as Zimbabwe bowlers struck decisively. Opener Josh Inglis fell for eight off four balls, including a six, to Blessing Muzarabani, followed quickly by Cameron Green for a duck, leaving the Kangaroos at 24-2 in just 2.5 overs. Tim David was also dismissed without scoring, putting Australia in immediate trouble.
Stand-in captain Travis Head added 17 runs off 15 balls before falling at 29-4 in 4.3 overs. Glenn Maxwell and Matt Renshaw rebuilt the innings with a 77-run partnership, offering hope, but Zimbabwe’s Ryan Burl broke the stand in his first over, dismissing Maxwell. Wellington Masakadza then trapped Marcus Stoinis, leaving Australia needing 53 from 25 balls.
Renshaw’s fighting 65 off 44 balls kept Australia in the chase, but Blessing Muzarabani struck again, dismissing Renshaw and Adam Zampa, leaving the Kangaroos all out for 146. Matthew Kuhnemann was run out in the final over, sealing a remarkable 23-run victory for Zimbabwe.
Earlier, Zimbabwe posted 169-2 in 20 overs, thanks to solid contributions from Brian Bennett (64* off 56 balls) and skipper Sikandar Raza (25 off 13). Openers Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani had laid a strong foundation with a 61-run stand, while Bennett later added 70 more runs with Ryan Burl.
Zimbabwe’s disciplined bowling, led by Muzarabani and supported by Burl and Masakadza, ensured the favourites fell short despite valiant efforts from Renshaw and Maxwell. For Australia, only Marcus Stoinis and Cameron Green managed to claim a wicket each.
The result marks one of the biggest shocks in T20 World Cup history, giving Zimbabwe a significant boost in the group-stage standings and sending a warning to other heavyweights.
