Zimbabwe caused a major upset in the T20 World Cup by defeating a weakened Australia by 23 runs in Colombo. Zimbabwe posted a strong total of 169-2, with Brian Bennett’s unbeaten 64 being the standout performance. Australia struggled in their chase, losing wickets early and eventually getting bowled out for 146 in 19.3 overs.
Zimbabwe, ranked 11th, dominated the match against the second-ranked Australia, thanks to impressive bowling by Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans. Muzarabani’s 4-17 were crucial in restricting Australia’s batting lineup. Despite a brief partnership between Glenn Maxwell and Matt Renshaw, Australia faltered and lost momentum after Maxwell’s dismissal for 31.
Brian Bennett’s controlled innings and his partnership with Ryan Burl guided Zimbabwe to a comfortable victory. This win followed Zimbabwe’s triumph over Oman in their previous match, while Australia had defeated Ireland. However, Australia’s chances in the tournament are now at risk due to injuries to key players like Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood.
The injury concerns continued for Australia as Marcus Stoinis exited the field after being hit on his left palm and later managed only six runs with the bat. Tim David’s return to the team was anticipated, but he failed to make an impact, scoring a duck in his first game back from injury in the Big Bash League.
