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COLOMBO: Brian Bennett and Sikandar Raza starred for Zimbabwe in a resounding run chase against hosts Sri Lanka in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 here at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Thursday.
T20 World Cup surprise package Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in Colombo Thursday to finish the group stage unbeaten and carry some winning momentum into the Super Eights.
Chasing 179 they finished 182-4 with three balls to spare against the co-hosts at the R. Premadasa stadium in Colombo.
Ranked 11th in the world, Zimbabwe upset former champions Australia last week.
They also beat Oman and shared the points when their game against Ireland was washed out on Tuesday.
Zimbabwe needed a tricky 65 off 36 balls when captain Sikandar Raza blasted 20 off an over from leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha, including two sixes and a four, to swing the match.
Raza and Brian Bennett added 69 off 40 deliveries for the third wicket and though Raza fell in the 19th over for 45, Zimbabwe eased to their target.
Opener Bennett batted through the innings to be 63 not out.
Needing eight off the final over, Tony Munyonga clubbed Maheesh Theekshana’s first ball for six to calm any Zimbabwe nerves before Bennett hit the winning boundary.
“We have trained for every situation. Then we have the right personnel to send in at the right time,” said Raza, who was named player of the match.
“We have got all those roles clear and that is why you see the confidence in the changing room.”
It was Zimbabwe’s second-highest successful run chase in T20 internationals.
After opting to bat first, Pathum Nissanka held Sri Lanka’s innings together again.
Nissanka had become the first centurion of the tournament against Australia on Monday, and he followed that up with a solid 62 off 47 balls.
It was his seventh fifty in T20 World Cups, equalling Mahela Jayawardene for the most by a Sri Lankan.
Sri Lanka scored 178-7 against Zimbabwe as both teams had their final run-out before they began their Super Eights campaign.
Both sides are looking to carry the momentum into the second phase of the competition in the match
Pathum Nissanka, who had become the first centurion of the tournament earlier this week, followed up with a solid 62 off 47 balls.
It was his seventh fifty in T20 World Cups, equalling Mahela Jayawardene for the most by a Sri Lankan.
Nissanka and Kusal Perera put together 54 off 30 balls for the first wicket.
He then shared a 46-run stand in 43 balls for the second wicket with Kusal Mendis.
Pavan Rathnayake cut loose during the death overs, posting 44 off 25 balls with three fours and two sixes.
Veteran leg-spinner Graeme Cremer was the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers, finishing with 2-27.
Giant paceman Blessing Muzarabani took 2-38.
Sri Lanka open their Super Eights campaign against England in Kandy on Sunday, while Zimbabwe will face the West Indies in Mumbai on Monday.
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