Travis Head’s 112 and a disciplined bowling performance helped Australia beat Zimbabwe by 84 runs and take an unassailable 2-0 series lead.
HARARE, September 18, 2026: Australia sealed the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe with an 84-run victory in the second match at Harare Sports Club on Friday.
After being dismissed cheaply in the opening ODI, Travis Head responded with an outstanding 112 off 84 balls to help Australia post an imposing 356.
Mitchell Marsh also scored a half-century, while Cooper Connolly contributed 78 and Oliver Peake provided a late burst with an unbeaten 41 from just 18 deliveries.
Head and Marsh dominate Powerplay
Head and Marsh put Australia firmly in control during the opening Powerplay, producing a 130-run partnership and maintaining an aggressive scoring rate.
Zimbabwe’s bowlers struggled to contain the Australian batting line-up, particularly during the closing stages of the innings when Peake’s explosive hitting pushed the total beyond 350.
Australia finished on 356, setting Zimbabwe a demanding target on a surface that offered opportunities for batting.
Zimbabwe fall short in chase
Zimbabwe were unable to build the sustained partnerships required to challenge the target.
Sikandar Raza top-scored with 45, while four other Zimbabwean batters made scores in the 30s. None, however, managed to convert their starts into half-centuries.
Australia kept taking wickets whenever Zimbabwe appeared to be building momentum.
Matt Renshaw, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood and Cooper Connolly claimed two wickets each, while Oliver Peake and Nathan Ellis took one apiece.
Zampa also reached a significant milestone by becoming the second Australian spinner to take 200 ODI wickets.
Australia overcome Stanlake injury
Australia’s bowling effort was made more challenging when Billy Stanlake suffered a side strain after switching ends.
With Australia effectively a bowler short, captain Mitchell Marsh rotated his available options and relied on spinners and part-time bowlers to maintain pressure.
Zimbabwe were eventually bowled out with nine balls remaining, finishing 84 runs short of Australia’s total.
Head earns Player of the Match award
Head was named Player of the Match following his decisive century.
Speaking after the game, he highlighted the importance of his partnership with Marsh and the need to capitalise on opportunities during a three-match series.
Marsh described Australia’s performance as a complete team effort, praising Head for establishing the platform and highlighting the contributions of Connolly and Peake.
He also said Australia had sufficient all-rounders and part-time bowling options to cope with Stanlake’s injury.
Zimbabwe captain Raza defended his decision to bowl first, saying there was early carry and movement available for the seamers.
However, he acknowledged that Head and Marsh dealt with the new ball exceptionally well.
Raza felt Australia’s 356 was too high on a good batting surface. He suggested a total of around 300-310 could have been chaseable, while 310-320 would have produced a significantly different contest.
Australia take unassailable series lead
The victory gives Australia an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.
The third and final ODI will be played at Harare Sports Club on Sunday, September 20, starting at 7.30am GMT.
Australia could use the final match to assess their bench strength ahead of their upcoming long series against South Africa, while Zimbabwe will aim to finish the series with a victory after falling short in the first two matches.