0
1
1
2
1
2
= 7
Match Details
AUS vs ZIM, 19th T20, T20 WC 2026 live
AUS
146-10(19.3)
Zimbabwe won by 23 runs 🏆
ZIM
(20.0)169-2
+
P'ship : 0(0)
Commentary
All
Highlights
Overs
W
6s
4s
Inn 1
Inn 2
Milestone
Well, well, well. What a sensational performance this has been from Zimbabwe. The Chevrons have done it again against the mighty Aussies in the T20 World Cup, beating them for the second time after 2007 and now in 2026. They make it 2 wins out of 2 in this tournament and surge up to second spot in the table, and suddenly Group B is wide open.
Australia will now turn their focus to a crucial clash against Sri Lanka in Pallekele, which promises to be a cracking contest. Zimbabwe, meanwhile, take on Ireland at the same venue and another win there could put them with one foot firmly in the Super 8s.
You can switch tabs now to follow the second game of the day between UAE and Canada coming to you from Delhi. For now, this is Pritam Dey signing off on behalf of my co-commentators Akshay Bhide & Deepak Prakash who, along with scorer/analyst Bishal Mandal & statistician Aman brought all the updates of this clash. Stay tuned for more cricketing action from around the world. BYE BYE👋
Australia will now turn their focus to a crucial clash against Sri Lanka in Pallekele, which promises to be a cracking contest. Zimbabwe, meanwhile, take on Ireland at the same venue and another win there could put them with one foot firmly in the Super 8s.
You can switch tabs now to follow the second game of the day between UAE and Canada coming to you from Delhi. For now, this is Pritam Dey signing off on behalf of my co-commentators Akshay Bhide & Deepak Prakash who, along with scorer/analyst Bishal Mandal & statistician Aman brought all the updates of this clash. Stay tuned for more cricketing action from around the world. BYE BYE👋
Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe Captain): "[Is he okay?] I have been here before. Just pressure of the game, leading the side, the pressure and the workload. A few recovery sessions and I'll be fine.
[How is he feeling] I'm feeling proud. It was nice to watch from outside how the team go through its business. I'm proud of the effort and above it, the win, it is very special.
[Happy with the batting and bowling effort] 70-odd at 10 and we were happy. Someone said 190. I said no, if you look at 190, we will get all out on 140. In Sri Lanka, the wicket gets slower as the game progresses. We sent a message to Bennett. He was batting very well. And then with the ball and on the field. Some of the boundary stops. It was just unbelievable. It looked like the boys wanted it and happy to get the win.
[On missing players due to injuries] First of all, we have got 13 able bodies in the squad. I got out and Cremer got a split webbing. But he was fine. But Zimbabwe cricket is looking after replacements. You don't what will happen next in these conditions. So you want 15 able bodies.
[Celebration today?] They deserve to enjoy today. For me, the homework for the next game starts. We have a traveling day tomorrow before the next game. It's a great position to be in. We want to take one game at a time. The next game becomes the most important for us."
[How is he feeling] I'm feeling proud. It was nice to watch from outside how the team go through its business. I'm proud of the effort and above it, the win, it is very special.
[Happy with the batting and bowling effort] 70-odd at 10 and we were happy. Someone said 190. I said no, if you look at 190, we will get all out on 140. In Sri Lanka, the wicket gets slower as the game progresses. We sent a message to Bennett. He was batting very well. And then with the ball and on the field. Some of the boundary stops. It was just unbelievable. It looked like the boys wanted it and happy to get the win.
[On missing players due to injuries] First of all, we have got 13 able bodies in the squad. I got out and Cremer got a split webbing. But he was fine. But Zimbabwe cricket is looking after replacements. You don't what will happen next in these conditions. So you want 15 able bodies.
[Celebration today?] They deserve to enjoy today. For me, the homework for the next game starts. We have a traveling day tomorrow before the next game. It's a great position to be in. We want to take one game at a time. The next game becomes the most important for us."
Travis Head (Australia Captain): "(On opting to bat second) Well, we though it was a good wicket to bat on. We thought it was a bit tacky at the start. We thought it was going to be pretty even throughout the whole contest. I think it showed it was although we managed to pick only 2 wickets in our bowling innings but we managed to keep them under 180. We didn't bat well which put us under pressure.
(On chasing 170) They played well. They kept wickets in hand which allowed them to post a competitive total on the board. I think after winning the toss and with the way they played and managing 169, I think we will take that at the halfway stage. I felt that we did a fine job with the ball.
(What was the feedback about the surface before going out to bat?) The feedback was that it was a good wicket. We put ourselves under pressure obviously losing wickets in the powerplay. I thought that the Zimbabwe bowlers bowled pretty well which put us under pressure. We did have a partnership in the middle but it left us with too many at the backend.
(On losing a game in the group stage and putting themselves under pressure) We have been here before. We said that at the toss as well that we were in the same situation in the 2023 World Cup dealing with so many injuries. We have seen a lot of tight games in this tournament. We have a few players in that dressing room who were here in 2023 in India and we all navigated that together and ended up on the right side. We will go back to that blueprint and comeback stronger."
(On chasing 170) They played well. They kept wickets in hand which allowed them to post a competitive total on the board. I think after winning the toss and with the way they played and managing 169, I think we will take that at the halfway stage. I felt that we did a fine job with the ball.
(What was the feedback about the surface before going out to bat?) The feedback was that it was a good wicket. We put ourselves under pressure obviously losing wickets in the powerplay. I thought that the Zimbabwe bowlers bowled pretty well which put us under pressure. We did have a partnership in the middle but it left us with too many at the backend.
(On losing a game in the group stage and putting themselves under pressure) We have been here before. We said that at the toss as well that we were in the same situation in the 2023 World Cup dealing with so many injuries. We have seen a lot of tight games in this tournament. We have a few players in that dressing room who were here in 2023 in India and we all navigated that together and ended up on the right side. We will go back to that blueprint and comeback stronger."
Blessing Muzarabani (Player of the Match): "[Best spell he has ever bowled?] Yeah, it has been one of those spells where you want to pick best players in the world. Happy with it.
[On bowling on this pitch] The good thing I saw was that the boundary was in my favor. I just had to use the boundary in my favor and it was a slow wicket. Had to take advantage of it.
[On the bowling performance] I also believe everyone bowled really well. Brad bowled really well.
[Does he target the base of the stumps while bowling yorkers?] It's hard to nail the yorker. You just try to do whatever is working on that day.
[On beating Australia] It's good. It's also nice to qualify. We are thinking about the next stage."
[On bowling on this pitch] The good thing I saw was that the boundary was in my favor. I just had to use the boundary in my favor and it was a slow wicket. Had to take advantage of it.
[On the bowling performance] I also believe everyone bowled really well. Brad bowled really well.
[Does he target the base of the stumps while bowling yorkers?] It's hard to nail the yorker. You just try to do whatever is working on that day.
[On beating Australia] It's good. It's also nice to qualify. We are thinking about the next stage."
Player of the Match: Blessing Muzarabani
Zimbabwe’s Wins vs Full-Member Nations in T20 WCs:
vs Australia, Cape Town, 2007
vs Ireland, Hobart, 2022
vs Pakistan, Perth, 2022
vs Australia, Colombo, 2026, Today*
vs Australia, Cape Town, 2007
vs Ireland, Hobart, 2022
vs Pakistan, Perth, 2022
vs Australia, Colombo, 2026, Today*
Defeating Australia most times in T20 WCs:
4 - India
3 - Pakistan, West Indies
2 - England, New Zealand, Zimbabwe*
4 - India
3 - Pakistan, West Indies
2 - England, New Zealand, Zimbabwe*
Best Bowling Figures vs Australia in T20 WCs:
4/11 – Ravichandran Ashwin (India), Mirpur, 2014
4/17 – Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe), Colombo (RPS), 2026, Today*
4/20 – Gulbadin Naib (Afghanistan), Kingstown, 2024
4/26 – Shadab Khan (Pakistan), Dubai (DICS), 2021
4/11 – Ravichandran Ashwin (India), Mirpur, 2014
4/17 – Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe), Colombo (RPS), 2026, Today*
4/20 – Gulbadin Naib (Afghanistan), Kingstown, 2024
4/26 – Shadab Khan (Pakistan), Dubai (DICS), 2021
Zimbabwe vs Australia in Men’s T20Is
Matches: 4
Zimbabwe Won: 2
Australia Won: 2
Notably, both Zimbabwe victories have come in the T20 World Cup — first in 2007 in Cape Town and now again in 2026 against Australia in Colombo (RPS).
Matches: 4
Zimbabwe Won: 2
Australia Won: 2
Notably, both Zimbabwe victories have come in the T20 World Cup — first in 2007 in Cape Town and now again in 2026 against Australia in Colombo (RPS).
Biggest Wins for Zimbabwe in T20 WCs (by runs):
31 vs Ireland, Hobart, 2022
23 vs Australia, Colombo (RPS), 2026, Today*
14 vs Hong Kong, Nagpur, 2016
31 vs Ireland, Hobart, 2022
23 vs Australia, Colombo (RPS), 2026, Today*
14 vs Hong Kong, Nagpur, 2016
Commentary