Zimbabwe’s Brian Bennett performs a shot through the ICC Males’s T20 World Cup 2026 match in opposition to Oman at Sinhalese Sports activities Membership on February 09, 2026 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. — ICC
Zimbabwe claimed an eight-wicket win over Oman of their ICC Males’s T20 World Cup 2026 marketing campaign opener on the Sinhalese Sports activities Membership Floor on Monday.
Chasing Oman’s modest whole of 104, Zimbabwe reached the goal in 14 overs, shedding simply two wickets. Openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani gave the workforce a robust begin, scoring shortly in a low-scoring contest.
Marumani was dismissed within the fourth over by Sufyan Mehmood for 21 off 11 balls, which included 5 boundaries, breaking the 30-run opening stand. Shortly after, Dion Myers fell for a second-ball duck, leaving Zimbabwe at 30-2 in 3.3 overs.
Brian Bennett discovered assist from Brendan Taylor, and collectively they took the workforce previous the 50-run mark within the seventh over, attaining a 50-run partnership.
Nonetheless, Taylor retired harm after scoring 31 off 30 balls, making means for skipper Sikandar Raza.
Raza struck a boundary to hit the profitable runs, remaining unbeaten on 5 off two deliveries, whereas Bennett top-scored with 48 off 36 balls, together with seven fours.
Batting first, Oman acquired off to a disappointing begin as captain Jatinder Singh was dismissed for a run-a-ball 5 on the primary supply of the second over, bowled by Blessing Muzarabani.
The stress intensified within the following over when Hammad Mirza was dismissed for a five-ball duck by Richard Ngarava, leaving Oman struggling early at 8-2 in 2.2 overs.
Oman slipped additional within the fourth over as Kaleem was dismissed cheaply for 5 off seven deliveries, together with one boundary. In the identical over, Karan Sonavale was despatched again for a duck, compounding Oman’s troubles.
The collapse continued when Sikandar Raza clean-bowled Wasim Ali for 3 off eight deliveries lowering Oman to 27-5 in six overs.
Sufyan Mehmood and Vinayak Shukla then tried to regular the innings, placing collectively a 42-run partnership to take the overall previous the 50-run mark.
Nonetheless, Ngarava broke the stand by dismissing Shukla for 28 off 21 deliveries, that includes 4 boundaries, with the rating at 69-6 in 14.1 overs.
In the identical over, Oman misplaced their seventh wicket as Jiten Ramanandi was dismissed for one off three balls, giving Ngarava his third wicket of the innings.
Brad Evans struck within the seventeenth over to take away Mehmood, who top-scored with 25 off 39 deliveries, together with two fours. Regardless of early struggles, Nadeem Khan and Shakeel Ahmed added some late runs.
Evans bowled the ultimate over and dismissed Shakeel for 4, whereas Shah Faisal struck a boundary off his first supply to take Oman previous the 100-run mark.
Nadeem Khan was the ultimate wicket to fall, dismissed by Evans after scoring a vital 20 off 18 deliveries.
For Zimbabwe, Blessing Muzarabani, Brad Evans and Richard Ngarava led the bowling assault with three wickets every, whereas Sikandar Raza chipped in with one.
