T20 World Cup 2026: Zimbabwe stun Sri Lanka with stellar Victory, advance to Super 8s unbeaten

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In a thrilling encounter at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Zimbabwe pulled off a remarkable upset by defeating co-hosts Sri Lanka by six wickets in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

Chasing a competitive target of 179, Zimbabwe completed the chase with three balls to spare, finishing at 182/4 in 19.3 overs. This victory not only silenced the home crowd but also ensured Zimbabwe topped Group B with an unbeaten record, advancing to the Super 8s in style.

Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka - As it Happened

Sri Lanka, having won the toss and elected to bat first, posted 178/7 in their 20 overs. Pathum Nissanka led the charge with a fluent 62 off 41 balls, including several boundaries that kept the scoreboard ticking. He became Sri Lanka's highest T20I run-scorer, surpassing Kusal Mendis.

Kusal Perera provided an aggressive start with 22 off 14, but his dismissal via a slower ball from Blessing Muzarabani shifted momentum. Pavan Rathnayake injected impetus with a blistering 44 off 25, smashing the innings' first six over cow corner off Sikandar Raza. However, wickets tumbled in the middle overs, with Kamindu Mendis and Rathnayake falling quickly. Dunith Wellalage's late cameo of 15 off 8, featuring three fours, helped push the total to a defendable figure.

Zimbabwe's bowlers were disciplined, with Muzarabani claiming a key early wicket and veteran Graeme Cremer dismissing Nissanka with a top-edged catch. Ryan Burl's leg-spin accounted for Kusal Mendis via a stumping, restricting Sri Lanka to just two sixes in the innings.

In response, Zimbabwe's openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani set a solid foundation with a 55-run powerplay stand. Marumani scored a quick 27 off 17 before being dismissed by Wellalage. Bennett anchored the innings with an unbeaten 50 off 41, remaining undismissed throughout the tournament so far.

Captain Sikandar Raza played a captain's knock of 45 off 26, accelerating with back-to-back sixes off Dushan Hemantha and a four past point. Ryan Burl's explosive 23 off 12, including a six and two fours, kept the required rate in check, though he fell to a slower bouncer from Dasun Shanaka.

The match's climax came in the penultimate over when Shanaka pulled off a stunning 25-meter running catch to dismiss Tashinga Musekiwa. But Tony Munyonga sealed the deal with a massive six off Maheesh Theekshana in the final over, sparking wild celebrations in the Zimbabwe camp.

This win marks Zimbabwe's second major scalp in the group stage, having earlier defeated Australia, underscoring their resurgence in T20 cricket.