Zimbabwe stunned pre-tournament favorites Australia by 23 runs in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Group B clash at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium. Brian Bennett’s unbeaten 64 anchored Zimbabwe to 169/2, while Blessing Muzarabani’s 4 wickets sparked a dramatic collapse in Australia’s chase.
New Delhi: On February 13, 2026, under the lights of R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka, cricket witnessed a classic underdog story. Zimbabwe, often lagging in global tournaments, registered a historic and decisive 23-run victory against an injured but still strong Australia in Match 19 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
This result was not only Zimbabwe’s first win over Australia in the shortest format in recent times but also shook up Group B, where both teams had been unbeaten until then. Injuries to the Australian players and a slow, exciting pitch favoured controlled bowling, and the Chevrons produced a memorable upset, showcasing patience, courage, and skillful execution.
Zimbabwe’s Innings
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Bennett (not out) | 64 | 56 | 7 | 0 | 114.29 |
| Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk) | 35 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 166.67 |
| Ryan Burl | 35 | 30 | 4 | 0 | 116.67 |
| Sikandar Raza (c) (not out) | 25 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 192.31 |
Extras: 10 (lb 3, w 7)
Total: 169/2 in 20 Overs
Did Not Bat: Dion Myers, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Graeme Cremer, Blessing Muzarabani
Fall of Wickets
| Batter | Score | Over |
|---|---|---|
| Tadiwanashe Marumani | 61/1 | 7.3 |
| Ryan Burl | 131/2 | 15.6 |
| Powerplay Overs | Runs |
|---|---|
| 0.1 – 6 | 47 |
| Partnership | Runs | Balls |
|---|---|---|
| Bennett – Marumani | 61 | 45 |
| Bennett – Burl | 70 | 51 |
| Bennett – Raza | 38 | 24 |
Australia Bowling
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | NB | WD | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Dwarshuis | 4 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10.00 |
| Marcus Stoinis | 2.5 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6.00 |
| Glenn Maxwell | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14.00 |
| Matthew Kuhnemann | 3 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.00 |
| Nathan Ellis | 4 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8.50 |
| Adam Zampa | 4 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.80 |
| Cameron Green | 1.1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5.10 |
Australia Innings
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Inglis (wk) | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 200.00 |
| Travis Head (c) | 17 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 113.33 |
| Cameron Green | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Tim David | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Glenn Maxwell | 31 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 96.88 |
| Matt Renshaw | 65 | 44 | 5 | 1 | 147.73 |
| Marcus Stoinis | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 150.00 |
| Ben Dwarshuis | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 85.71 |
| Nathan Ellis (not out) | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 175.00 |
| Adam Zampa | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Matthew Kuhnemann | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Extras: 4 (lb 2, w 2)
Total: 146 all out in 19.3 Overs
Fall of Wickets
| Batter | Score | Over |
|---|---|---|
| Josh Inglis | 13/1 | 1.1 |
| Cameron Green | 24/2 | 2.5 |
| Tim David | 25/3 | 3.2 |
| Travis Head | 29/4 | 4.3 |
| Glenn Maxwell | 106/5 | 14.2 |
| Marcus Stoinis | 117/6 | 15.4 |
| Ben Dwarshuis | 131/7 | 17.4 |
| Matt Renshaw | 139/8 | 18.4 |
| Adam Zampa | 141/9 | 18.6 |
| Matthew Kuhnemann | 146/10 | 19.3 |
| Type | Overs | Runs |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory | 0.1 – 6 | 38 |
| Powerplay Overs | Runs |
|---|---|
| 0.1 – 6 | 38 |
| Partnership Batter 1 | Score (Balls) | Partnership (Runs/Balls) | Batter 2 | Score (Balls) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Inglis | 8 (4) | 13 (7) | Travis Head | 5 (3) |
| Cameron Green | 0 (2) | 11 (10) | Travis Head | 10 (8) |
| Tim David | 0 (2) | 1 (3) | Travis Head | 1 (1) |
| Glenn Maxwell | 2 (4) | 4 (7) | Travis Head | 1 (3) |
| Glenn Maxwell | 29 (28) | 77 (59) | Matt Renshaw | 46 (31) |
| Marcus Stoinis | 6 (4) | 11 (8) | Matt Renshaw | 5 (4) |
| Ben Dwarshuis | 6 (7) | 14 (12) | Matt Renshaw | 8 (5) |
| Nathan Ellis | 2 (2) | 8 (6) | Matt Renshaw | 6 (4) |
| Nathan Ellis | 0 (0) | 2 (2) | Adam Zampa | 2 (2) |
| Nathan Ellis | 5 (2) | 5 (3) | Matthew Kuhnemann | 0 (1) |
Zimbabwe Bowling
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | NB | WD | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sikandar Raza | 2 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.50 |
| Blessing Muzarabani | 4 | 0 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4.20 |
| Brad Evans | 3.3 | 0 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6.60 |
| Dion Myers | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9.00 |
| Graeme Cremer | 4 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.20 |
| Wellington Masakadza | 4 | 0 | 36 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9.00 |
| Ryan Burl | 1 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9.00 |
Key Performances:
Brian Bennett (Zimbabwe): 64* (56 balls, 6 fours) – Man-of-the-Match contender for his anchoring role.
Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe): 4 wickets – His pace and variations dismantled Australia’s top order.
Matt Renshaw (Australia): 65 – A fighting knock that nearly pulled off an improbable chase.
The win boosted Zimbabwe to the top of Group B on net run rate, while Australia dropped to 1-1 and now face a tougher path ahead amid injury concerns.
Zimbabwe’s victory over Australia was more than just three points—it was a testament to smart cricket, team spirit, and taking advantage of the opportunities on a challenging pitch. For the Chevrons, this result brings back memories of their famous upset and indicates that they can compete with the best teams in this tournament. Australia, affected by absences and mid-match injuries, will need to quickly regroup to avoid an early exit.