The Zimbabwe cricket team pulled off a major upset in the 2026 T20 World Cup, defeating the Australian cricket team by 23 runs. With this win, Zimbabwe recorded their second consecutive victory in the tournament and moved into second place in the Group B standings. Meanwhile, Australia dropped to third place after losing one of their two matches.
Zimbabwe, who lost the toss and elected to bat first at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Friday, posted a solid 169 for 2. Openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani provided an aggressive start, adding 61 runs in 7.3 overs. Marumani was dismissed for 35 off 21 balls, including seven fours.
Bennett then added a crucial 70-run partnership for the second wicket with Ryan Burl to take the team to 131. Burl made 35 off 30 balls and departed. Finally, Bennett added an unbeaten 38 with captain Sikandar Raza to make the score challenging. Bennett remained unbeaten on 64 off 56 balls with 7 fours, while Raza remained unbeaten on 25 off 13 balls. Marcus Stoinis and Cameron Green took one wicket each for Australia.
Chasing the target, Australia got off to a poor start, losing four wickets for 29 runs. Glenn Maxwell and Matt Renshaw then attempted a comeback, adding 77 runs, but the partnership was broken, leading to a quick loss. Renshaw made 65 off 44 balls, while Maxwell made 31 off 32. Captain Travis Head managed just 17 runs.
For Zimbabwe, Blessing Muzarabani took 4/17 in his 4 overs, while Brad Evans took 3 wickets. Wellington Masakadza and Ryan Burl each took one wicket.
Overall, Zimbabwe registered their biggest win of the tournament with a balanced batting display and sharp bowling, strengthening their claim in Group B.