The Zimbabwe national cricket team delivered one of the most exciting performances of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, beating Sri Lanka national cricket team by six wickets in Colombo on February 19. With this win, Zimbabwe finished the group stage unbeaten and topped Group B, qualifying for the Super Eight round with a perfect record.
Batting second at R Premadasa Stadium, Zimbabwe successfully chased Sri Lanka’s target of 179 by reaching 182 for 4 in 19.3 overs. Skipper Sikandar Raza played a key role with a quick 45, while opener Brian Bennett remained not out on 63, guiding his side expertly through a tense run chase. Sri Lanka had set a competitive total thanks to a strong innings from Pathum Nissanka (62), but could not defend it despite some middle-over pressure.
Zimbabwe’s unbeaten streak included earlier wins against Australia and Oman, and their match against Ireland was washed out, allowing them to finish with three wins and one no-result. Their campaign has been widely praised as one of the tournament’s surprise stories, especially the victory over Australia, which helped shake up the group standings.
The team now moves into the Super Eight stage with confidence and momentum. Cricket analysts say this performance signals a growing strength in Zimbabwe’s limited overs cricket and highlights the competitiveness of teams outside the traditional top tier.
