Maintaining their 100% win-record over Australia in the Men’s T20 World Cup, Zimbabwe stunned injury-plagued former champions by 23 runs, pulling off the first major upset of this edition in Colombo on Friday.
Having last vanquished the traditional heavyweights in the format in the 2007 edition of the showcase, this was only the second time the African nation have done so.
Chasing 170, the lower-ranked team achieved a historic victory by bowling Australia out for 146 in 19.3 overs. In a low-scoring encounter in Cape Town in 2007, Zimbabwe, then captained by Prosper Utseya, had defeated Australia by five wickets with one ball to spare.
Pacer Blessing Muzarabani returned figures of 4/17, while Brad Evans (3/23), Wellington Masakadza (1/36) and Ryan Burl (1/9) also contributed with the ball for Zimbabwe.
In their quest for 170, Australia’s top order collapsed, getting reduced to 29/4 in 4.3 overs. Tim David (0), Travis Head (17), Cameron Green (0), and Josh Inglis (8) were all dismissed cheaply.
Glenn Maxwell scored 31 and Matt Renshaw scored a lone hand of 65 off of 44 balls. Australia started Powerplay at 38 for 4, and at the midway point, they were at 67 for 4, needing 103 runs to win.
Maxwell and Renshaw produced a fifth-wicket stand of 77 runs from 9.5 overs. However, Maxwell inside-edged one onto the stumps, and Ryan Burl ended the partnership. Marcus Stoinis, who had earlier left the field after being hit during the Zimbabwe innings, was dismissed for six runs as Australia required 56 runs from the final five overs.
Brad Evan claimed his third wicket of the day when Bennett made a spectacular catch close to the boundary to dismiss Ben Dwarshuis (7). Australia lost Renshaw and Adam Zampa (2) in the 19th over, then Matthew Kuhnemann (0) was run out in the last over, bringing the target down to 34 from 12 balls.
Earlier, Zimbabwe scored 169-2 thanks to a stylish unbeaten 64 from opener Brian Bennett.
After being put in to bat by stand-in Australia captain Travis Head, Bennett and Ryan Burl (35) put together a 70-run partnership that kept Zimbabwe’s innings intact.
In T20 World Cups, the stand is the record for Zimbabwe’s second wicket.
Bennett’s knock off 56 balls, which included seven fours, was a good demonstration of skillful batting as opposed to power hitting. With the help of fellow opener Tadiwanashe Marumani (35), the 22-year-old achieved his ninth half-century in Twenty20 Internationals.
In their first match, Zimbabwe had crushed Oman. Australia had defeated Ireland handily in their opening game, but skipper Mitchell Marsh was out once more due to an injury.
And halfway through his third over, Marcus Stoinis was hit on his left palm while trying a return catch, giving the former champions even more cause for concern. The all-rounder was escorted off the pitch in agony.
Fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are already out of the tournament due to injuries. Despite missing the Ireland victory due to a hamstring injury, Tim David was included in the squad.
