The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 saw a stunning upset as Zimbabwe defeated Australia by 23 runs in Match 19 at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 13. Zimbabwe put up a competitive 169/2 in their 20 overs. Australia struggled in their chase and finished at 146 all out in 19.3 overs.
Brian Bennett top-scored for Zimbabwe with 64 runs off 56 balls. Matt Renshaw fought hard for Australia with 65 runs off 44 balls. Blessing Muzarabani delivered a match-winning spell with 4 wickets for 17 runs.
Match Summary: ZIM vs AUS
Here is the complete match summary of this Group B encounter:
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Zimbabwe Score | 169/2 (20 overs) |
| Australia Score | 146 all out (19.3 overs) |
| Match Result | Zimbabwe won by 23 runs |
| Best Batting (ZIM) | Brian Bennett – 64 off 56 balls (7 fours) |
| Best Batting (AUS) | Matt Renshaw – 65 off 44 balls (5 fours, 1 six) |
| Best Bowling (ZIM) | Blessing Muzarabani – 4/17 in 4 overs (Econ: 4.25) |
| Best Bowling (AUS) | Marcus Stoinis – 1/17 in 2.5 overs (Econ: 6.00) |
| Player of the Match | Blessing Muzarabani (ZIM) |
Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bat first. This decision worked well as openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani built a strong 50-run partnership. The innings stayed steady through the powerplay and middle overs.
Zimbabwe Innings: 169/2 in 20 Overs
Brian Bennett anchored the innings with 64 runs off 56 balls. He hit 7 boundaries and played sensibly. Tadiwanashe Marumani added 35 runs off 21 balls before Marcus Stoinis caught him off Ben Dwarshuis. Ryan Burl scored a quick 35 runs off 30 balls. Sikandar Raza stayed unbeaten on 25 runs off 13 balls.
The first wicket fell after 50 runs in 6 overs. Bennett and Marumani put up 26 runs in the powerplay. Bennett reached his half-century in 43 balls. The second wicket added 50 runs. Zimbabwe crossed the 100-run mark in 12.2 overs. The final score of 169/2 gave them a defendable total.
Australia Chase: 146 All Out in 19.3 Overs
Australia’s chase got off to a terrible start. They scored only 38 runs with 4 wickets down in the first 6 overs. Josh Inglis fell on the first ball when he was caught by Tashinga Musekiwa off Blessing Muzarabani. Travis Head scored 17 runs off 15 balls before Brad Evans got him out.
Cameron Green and Tim David both failed to score. Glenn Maxwell tried to rebuild with 31 runs off 32 balls. He added a 50-run partnership with Matt Renshaw. Australia reached 100 runs in 13.3 overs.
Matt Renshaw fought hard with 65 runs off 44 balls. He hit 5 fours and 1 six. His fifty came in 34 balls. But wickets kept falling at the other end. Blessing Muzarabani removed Glenn Maxwell when Ryan Burl took the catch. Marcus Stoinis scored 6 runs before Wellington Masakadza got him caught.
The lower order crumbled quickly. Ben Dwarshuis made 6 runs. Adam Zampa scored just 2 runs before Muzarabani cleaned him up. Matthew Kuhnemann was run out by Brad Evans without scoring. Australia was bowled out for 146 runs. They fell short by 23 runs.
Blessing Muzarabani dominated with 4 wickets for 17 runs in 4 overs. His economy rate was just 4.25. Wellington Masakadza took 1 wicket for 36 runs. Ryan Burl grabbed 1 wicket for 9 runs. Brad Evans bowled a tight spell with 3 wickets for 23 runs.
Key Highlight: Player of the Match – Blessing Muzarabani Dominates
The Zimbabwean fast bowler delivered a match-winning performance:
With the ball: 4/17 in 4 overs
Economy rate: 4.25
Muzarabani struck on the very first ball of Australia’s innings. He removed Josh Inglis, who was caught by Tashinga Musekiwa. He then picked up the key wickets of Glenn Maxwell, Matt Renshaw, and Adam Zampa. His 4-wicket haul broke the back of Australia’s chase.
His figures of 4/17 were the best bowling performance in the match. He bowled with pace and accuracy. The Australian batsmen struggled to score runs against him. He bowled 13 dot balls and conceded just 17 runs from his 4 overs.
This victory keeps Zimbabwe’s hopes alive in Group B. Australia will need to win its remaining matches to stay in the competition. The upset result shows that any team can win on the day in T20 cricket.
