T20 World Cup: Zimbabwe Stun Sri Lanka, Finish Group Stage Unbeaten

Zimbabwe produced a commanding run chase to defeat Sri Lanka by six wickets in their final Group B match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, sealing an unbeaten run and finishing at the top of the standings.

Chasing a challenging target of 179, Zimbabwe rode on a composed partnership between opener Brian Bennett and skipper Sikandar Raza to reach the total in 19.3 overs. Bennett remained unbeaten yet again in the tournament, anchoring the innings with maturity, while Raza’s aggressive strokeplay at the death tilted the game in Zimbabwe’s favour.

The African side held their nerve in a tense finish. After losing two wickets late, they needed eight runs in the final over, but Tony Munyonga struck a decisive six before Bennett calmly finished the chase to keep Zimbabwe unbeaten in the group stage.

Earlier, Sri Lanka posted 178 for seven after opting to bat. In-form opener Pathum Nissanka led the charge with a fluent 62, continuing his impressive run in the tournament. Pavan Rathnayake contributed a brisk 44, but Sri Lanka lost momentum in the middle overs and failed to accelerate significantly towards the end.

Zimbabwe’s bowlers played a crucial role in restricting the total. Graeme Cremer and Brad Evans shared four wickets between them, while Ryan Burl chipped in with a key breakthrough and maintained tight control.

Despite Sri Lanka appearing well placed at 100 for one after 12 overs, the innings lost pace between the 13th and 17th overs, preventing them from pushing the score beyond the 180-mark.

Zimbabwe’s clinical chase, built on discipline and calculated aggression, ensured they advanced to the Super 8 stage with confidence and momentum, emerging as the only unbeaten side from Group B.

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