Colombo, February 13, 2026 – Zimbabwe produced a historic performance as Blessing Muzarabani’s four-wicket haul powered them to a 23-run victory over Australia in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 group stage match here on Friday.
Chasing a target of 170, Australia struggled from the start, losing four wickets inside the first five overs. Despite a fighting partnership of 77 runs between Matt Renshaw (65) and Glenn Maxwell, only three Australian batters reached double figures. Zimbabwe’s disciplined bowling, led by Muzarabani’s 4/17, and strong fielding kept the visitors on the back foot throughout the innings.
Zimbabwe’s captain, Sikandar Raza, praised his team’s resilience despite injury setbacks, stating the squad had only 13 fit players available. “It’s a proud moment to see how the team went about its business. Everyone stepped up, and we’ll enjoy this win today but focus on the next game,” Raza said.
Australia’s skipper, Travis Head, reflected on his decision to bowl first. He admitted that the slow pitch and humidity affected his team, and credited Zimbabwe’s batting and bowling for their performance. “We put ourselves under pressure early, and Zimbabwe capitalized well. We’ll revert to our 2023 blueprint to recover,” Head added.
Blessing Muzarabani was named Player of the Match, highlighting his match-winning spell. “I bowled to some of the best players in the world, and I’m happy with the result. Beating Australia feels amazing, but now we focus on qualifying for the Super Eights,” Muzarabani said.
With this win, Zimbabwe moves to second place in Group C, setting up a crucial clash against Ireland on February 17, 2026, while Australia faces Sri Lanka on February 16 in Pallekele.
Zimbabwe’s team celebrated a historic triumph, beating Australia for the first time since the 2007 World Cup, and keeping Group C highly competitive and alive.