Australia Vs Zimbabwe Highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: Muzarabani, Bennett Power The Chevrons To Memorable Victory

Good Morning folks. Welcome to our live coverage of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 match number 19 between Australia and Zimbabwe from the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. This is the start of our blog, stay tuned for the real-time updates, live scores and more.

T20 World Cup 2026 matches will be available for live TV telecast across Star Sports Network channels in India. Fans can also watch the live stream on the JioHotstar app and website. The Australia vs Zimbabwe match has a scheduled start time of 11:00 AM Indian Standard Time (IST).

For Colombo on February 13, 2026, the current weather is mostly sunny with a temperature of 28°C and a feels-like temperature of 31°C.

The daily forecast for today predicts scattered thunderstorms with a high of 30°C and a low of 24°C, including a 40% chance of rain during the daytime.

The R. Premadasa Stadium pitch is traditionally slow and dry, making it a recognized "spinner's paradise" where hitting from the start is difficult. While the average first-innings score is a modest 142, recent matches suggest a total above 170 is achievable with clever batting before the surface deteriorates. As this is a morning match, there is no dew factor to quicken the outfield. Captains will likely look to bat first.

Australia have won the toss and have opted to field first.

Australia: Travis Head(c), Josh Inglis(w), Cameron Green, Matt Renshaw, Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Matthew Kuhnemann

Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani(w), Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza(c), Ryan Burl, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Graeme Cremer, Blessing Muzarabani

Good start from Ben Dwarshuis. Makes Brian Bennett uncomfortable by targeting his body and one of the deliveries brushed his sides on the way to the wicketkeeper. Australia appeals heavily but umpire Chris Gaffaney didn't make a move. Travis Head opts for DRS and the review shows no spike when the ball passes the bat. Australia lose a review very early in the game.

Tadiwanashe Marumani shows high intent in the powerplay. He takes on Glenn Maxwell and finds the boundaries to inject momentum in to the Zimbabwe innings. Takes some calculated risks, but they come off accurately giving them a platform to build on.

In their inaugural T20 World Cup meeting in 2007, the African side pulled off one of cricket’s greatest heists by defeating the reigning ODI champions in Cape Town. Brendan Taylor played a legendary unbeaten knock of 60 to chase down 139 on the penultimate ball to seal a historic five-wicket victory.

Brief Score: Australia 138/9 (20)

Brad Hodge 35 not out, Andrew Symonds 33

Elton Chigumbura 3/20

Zimbabwe 139/5 (19.5)

Brendan Taylor 60 not out

Stuart Clark 2/22

Australia get their first breakthrough. Tadiwanashe Marumani was looking dangerous as he was accessing both the off and the on side boundaries with easy. Marcus Stoinis kept it away from his body this time and Marumani went up chasing it only to nick it to the hands of wicketkeeper Josh Inglis. Ryan Burl comes in.

After the dismissal of Marumani, Australia have been able to put some shackles on the Zimbabwe scoring rate. Brian Bennett has slowed down and Ryan Burl has not found the rhythm yet. First Cameron Green and later Matthew Kuhnemann bowl two economic overs to keep their strike rate under check. Zimbabwe need to launch from here.

Zimbabwe are in a good position to launch now. They slowed down in the middle but Brian Bennett accelerated again to set up a good platform for them. They didn't lose too many wickets as well and with 36 balls to go in the innings, they can double down on the Australia bowlers from here on. They will look to get to a competitive total and put pressure on Australia.

Lot of events in the last two balls of the 16th over. Marcus Stoinis bowls a full-toss to Ryan Burl and the batter hits it straight back towards the bowler. Stoinis tries to take the catch and gets his hands down, but the ball awkwardly hits his left thumb and index finger. Stoinis felt something was off and he immediately held his hand and walked off the field. Cameron Green bowls the last ball of the over and Ryan Burl mistimes the pull shots which is easily taken by the short third man fielder.

Sikandar Raza hits a six on the last ball of the innings and it is the only six Zimbabwe have hit in the entire innings. Although they have produced a rather good performance, they will consider that they could have got more. Australia bowled well in the death to restrict Zimbabwe from getting a strong finish. In-form bowlers Adam Zampa and Nathan Ellis did their part. Australia will be happy, but Marcus Stoinis' fitness will also concern them.

Sikandar Raza took a punt by coming himself in the opening over but it didn't work as both Travis Head and Josh Inglis found boundaries off him. Things change in the second over as Blessing Muzarabani strikes by removing Josh Inglis. Tall Muzarabani goes back of length and Inglis plays an uncontrolled pull shot to the hands of deep square leg. Important wicket for Zimbabwe.

Australia vs Zimbabwe LIVE Score, ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Brian Bennett Starred With Half-Century

Cameron Green departs for a two-ball duck and Australia are in trouble. Zimbabwe's pacers are in-form and a tall Brad Evans strikes in his first over. Length ball into the wicket and it just holds and bounces enough to take a nick off Green's bat on the way to the wicketkeeper's hands. Green departs without troubling the scorers and Zimbabwe are smelling blood here.

Another wicket and Australia are in deep trouble here. They are underconfident against the talented fast bowling group of Zimbabwe and are paying the price. It is Blessing Muzarabani again who bangs it short and the ball holds on Tim David, who mistimes a swivel pull straight to the hands of the short fine leg. Australia have lost three wickets in three overs now. Zimbabwe are elated.

Zimbabwe are absolutely on top here as they scalp another wicket. Australia are crumbling like a pack of cards here and it is their captain Travis Head who departs now. Full on the off-side from Brad Evans, Head doesn't move his feet and goes for a booming drive. Gets an inside edge that crashes on to the stumps. Zimbabwe are charged up here and they will want to close out the game from this position.

After the quick fall of four wickets, Australia are looking to consolidate their innings. Glenn Maxwell and Matt Renshaw are out on the crease and they are looking to take the game deep before trying to accelerate and take risks. Sikandar Raza doesn't want to remove the pressure from them immediately. Meanwhile, injured Marcus Stoinis was spotted with his bat and other gears entering the dug out.

Australia have played out the tricky phase of six overs and arrested the chance of big collapse. They have consolidated and taken the game deep. But the asking rate is steadily on the rise and they will need to shift gears soon if they want to win the game. Glenn Maxwell and Matt Renshaw are out on the crease and set now. They will look to find the boundaries now.

Glenn Maxwell departs after playing a struggling knock of 31 off 32. He was dropped once on the boundary but still failed to find enough rhythm in his innings to get going. Ryan Burl comes to the attack after innings break and then cleans him up. Maxwell wanted to heave away the ball but only finds an inside edge. Despite the injury, Marcus Stoinis comes out to bat.

Marcus Stoinis departs as well and now the heavy responsibility of finishing the game relies on the half-centurian Matt Renshaw. He has been holding the innings together and now with the other wickets falling from the opposite end, he has to step on the gas as well. Stoinis tried to take on Wellington Masakadza but got holed out in the deep. Zimbabwe still ahead in the game.

Sensational catch from Tony Munyonga and Ben Dwarshuis has to depart. Australia in deeper trouble now. For a long time it seemed the ball will go for a boundary. But Munyonga ran in from mid-wicket and stretched himself to the full to grab a one-handed catch in the end. Easily the contender for the best catch of the tournament.

Blessing Muzarabani has likely sealed the fate of the match. He finally draws Matthew Renshaw to a false shot and Ryan Burl settles under it to take a very good catch. Into the wicket bowling from Muzarabani and Renshaw's attempt goes in vain. He departs after a very good knock but Australia are on the brink of a defeat here.

Another one down. Tall Blessing Muzarabani launches a rocket yorker at the stumps of Adam Zampa and his stumps are a wreck. Australia were already looking down the barrel and now their situation only worsens more. Zimbabwe now one wicket away from a famous victory.

What a victory by Zimbabwe! They win by 23 runs and defeat Australia in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. This is their second victory over Australia in the history of the competition. Blessing Muzarabani scalped four wickets and set the stage for the win. Spinners and Brad Evans consolidated on it. Earlier, Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl and Tadiwanashe Marumani set up a competitive score for Zimbabwe with Bennett scoring a half-century. With this win of Zimbabwe, Group B has opened up.

Ireland vs Oman on February 14

Australia vs Sri Lanka on February 16

Ireland vs Zimbabwe on February 17

Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe on February19

Australia vs Oman on February 20

This is Zimbabwe's second consecutive victory against Australia in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Last time the two faced off in 2007, Zimbabwe won. The result turned out to be the same this time and Brendan Taylor was part of both the squads.