Zimbabwe pulled off a stunning upset, beating Sri Lanka by 6 wickets in Match 38 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, on February 19.
Zimbabwe chased down 179 with 3 balls to spare, powered by Brian Bennett’s unbeaten 63 and a blazing 45 off 26 from Sikandar Raza.
Raza took the Player of the Match award for his match-winning knock. Zimbabwe did not lose a wicket in the powerplay, and their top order dominated from start to finish.
Match Summary: SL vs ZIM
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Sri Lanka Score | 178/7 (20 overs) |
| Zimbabwe Score | 182/4 (19.3 overs) |
| Match Result | Zimbabwe won by 6 wickets (3 balls remaining) |
| Best Batting (SL) | Pathum Nissanka – 62 off 41 balls (8 fours) |
| Best Batting (ZIM) | Brian Bennett – 63* off 48 balls (8 fours) |
| Best Bowling (SL) | Dushan Hemantha – 2/36 in 4 overs (Econ: 9.00) |
| Best Bowling (ZIM) | Graeme Cremer – 2/27 in 4 overs (Econ: 6.75) |
| Player of the Match | Sikandar Raza (ZIM) – 45 (26) |
Sri Lanka Innings: 178/7 in 20 Overs
Sri Lanka got off to a flying start. Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera put on 54 runs for the first wicket, scoring 61 in the powerplay with just 1 wicket down. Nissanka reached his fifty off 34 balls and went on to make 62 off 41.
After Perera (22) and Kusal Mendis (14) departed in quick succession, Sri Lanka were 108/3 at the halfway stage. Pavan Rathnayake injected some momentum with 44 off 25 balls, hitting 3 fours and 2 sixes. But Zimbabwe pulled things back well in the death overs.
Sri Lanka lost 4 wickets for 14 runs between overs 18 and 19, falling from 164 to 178/7. Graeme Cremer and Blessing Muzarabani both took 2 wickets, keeping Sri Lanka to a below-par total.
Zimbabwe Chase: 182/4 in 19.3 Overs
Zimbabwe’s chase was dominant from ball one. Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani put on 69 runs for the first wicket without losing a single wicket in the powerplay, scoring 55 in the first 6 overs.
Marumani fell for 34 off 26, and Ryan Burl hit a quick 23 off 12 before departing. At 114/2 after 14 overs, Zimbabwe still needed 65 off 36 balls. Sikandar Raza then took charge.
Raza smashed 45 off just 26 balls, hitting 2 fours and 4 sixes to swing the game firmly in Zimbabwe’s favour. He and Bennett put on a 69-run third-wicket stand before Raza fell in the 19th over.
Bennett stayed unbeaten on 63 to see Zimbabwe home. They crossed the line in 19.3 overs, winning by 6 wickets with 3 balls to spare.
Key Highlight: Player of the Match – Sikandar Raza’s Match-Winning Knock
Zimbabwe needed 65 off 36 when Raza walked in. He changed the game completely. His 45 off 26 balls took the pressure off Bennett and put Sri Lanka on the back foot in the death overs.
With the bat: 45 off 26 balls (2 fours, 4 sixes) | SR: 173.07
Raza’s partnership with Bennett was the turning point of the match. Sri Lanka’s bowlers had no answer to his power hitting. He fell just short of the finish line, but Zimbabwe crossed with ease.
