Match Overview
The highly anticipated ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Group B clash took place on February 19, 2026, at the iconic R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first, looking to post a formidable total on their home soil. However, the sri lanka national cricket team vs zimbabwe national cricket team match scorecard ultimately tells a story of a brilliant chase by the visitors.
Zimbabwe successfully chased down the target of 179 runs, finishing at 182/4 in 19.3 overs to win the cricket match by 6 wickets with 3 balls to spare. Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza was adjudged the Player of the Match for his explosive and match-winning cameo of 45 runs off just 26 balls, which anchored the innings and Sri Lanka Batting Scorecard
Here is the complete batting scorecard for the first innings of the sri lanka national cricket team vs zimbabwe national cricket team match scorecard:
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | c Munyonga b Cremer | 62 | 41 | 8 | 0 | 151.21 |
| Kusal Perera | c Cremer b Muzarabani | 22 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 157.14 |
| Kusal Mendis (wk) | st Marumani b Burl | 14 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 70.00 |
| Pavan Rathnayake | c Cremer b Evans | 44 | 25 | 3 | 2 | 176.00 |
| Kamindu Mendis | c & b Cremer | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 140.00 |
| Dasun Shanaka (c) | c Musekiwa b Muzarabani | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 85.71 |
| Dunith Wellalage | not out | 15 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 187.50 |
| Dushan Hemantha | c Burl b Evans | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Maheesh Theekshana | not out | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| Extras | 8 | |||||
| Total | 178/7 | 20 |
Zimbabwe Bowling Figures
The Zimbabwe bowlers executed their plans brilliantly to restrict the hosts. Here are the bowling figures from the first innings:
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sikandar Raza | 4 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 9.00 |
| Blessing Muzarabani | 4 | 0 | 38 | 2 | 9.50 |
| Wellington Masakadza | 3 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 7.66 |
| Brad Evans | 3 | 0 | 35 | 2 | 11.66 |
| Graeme Cremer | 4 | 0 | 27 | 2 | 6.75 |
| Ryan Burl | 2 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 8.00 |
Zimbabwe Batting Scorecard
Chasing a competitive total, the Zimbabwe top order delivered under pressure. Here is the second innings batting breakdown of the sri lanka national cricket team vs zimbabwe national cricket team match scorecard:
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Bennett | not out | 63 | 48 | 8 | 0 | 131.25 |
| Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk) | c & b Wellalage | 34 | 26 | 5 | 1 | 130.76 |
| Ryan Burl | c Perera b Shanaka | 23 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 191.66 |
| Sikandar Raza (c) | c Shanaka b Hemantha | 45 | 26 | 2 | 4 | 173.07 |
| Tashinga Musekiwa | c Shanaka b Hemantha | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Tony Munyonga | not out | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 266.66 |
| Extras | 8 | |||||
| Total | 182/4 | 19.3 |
Sri Lanka Bowling Figures
The Sri Lankan bowlers fought hard but struggled to contain the aggressive Zimbabwean batters in the death overs:
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dilshan Madushanka | 3 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 6.66 |
| Pramod Madushan | 2 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 11.50 |
| Maheesh Theekshana | 3.3 | 0 | 47 | 0 | 13.42 |
| Dasun Shanaka | 3 | 0 | 26 | 1 | 8.66 |
| Dushan Hemantha | 4 | 0 | 36 | 2 | 9.00 |
| Dunith Wellalage | 4 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 6.75 |
Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs Zimbabwe National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Key Highlights & Match Analysis
The sri lanka national cricket team vs zimbabwe national cricket team match scorecard highlights a fascinating battle between bat and ball at the R. Premadasa Stadium. Batting first, Sri Lanka got off to a flying start thanks to a magnificent 62-run innings by Pathum Nissanka.
His partnership with Kusal Perera (22) laid a solid foundation, but the middle order stumbled slightly against the spin of Graeme Cremer. However, a crucial 44-run cameo by Pavan Rathnayake and a late blitz of 15 runs off just 8 balls by Dunith Wellalage helped Sri Lanka post a highly competitive 178/7 in their 20 overs.
In response, Zimbabwe’s chase was masterfully anchored by Brian Bennett, who played a phenomenal unbeaten innings of 63 runs. Bennett rotated the strike beautifully and found the boundary 8 times, providing the stability the visitors needed. The turning point of the cricket match arrived in the 19th over when Zimbabwe needed 13 runs off 12 balls.
Dushan Hemantha struck twice in the over, and Dasun Shanaka produced an absolute superhero catch to dismiss Tashinga Musekiwa, bringing the required runs down to 7 off 6 balls. The crowd erupted, thinking Sri Lanka had snatched the victory.
However, Sikandar Raza, who had already blasted a quickfire 45 runs off 26 balls earlier in the innings, had done his job. Tony Munyonga stepped up in the final over, hitting a massive six off the very first ball he faced, and Zimbabwe sealed the win with 3 balls to spare.
Top bowling performances included Graeme Cremer, whose economical spell of 2/27 broke crucial partnerships, and Dushan Hemantha, who took 2/36 to keep Sri Lanka in the hunt. A major milestone of the match was Brian Bennett reaching his half-century, which proved to be the backbone of Zimbabwe’s successful run chase. Ultimately, the wickets and runs distribution in this innings showed Zimbabwe’s superior depth in batting on the day.
Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs Zimbabwe National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Head-to-Head Record
Looking at the historical data, Sri Lanka has traditionally dominated this fixture, but Zimbabwe has been closing the gap in the shortest format. Here is the overall head-to-head record between the two nations:
| Format | Matches | Sri Lanka Wins | Zimbabwe Wins | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 18 | 13 | 0 | 5 |
| ODI | 71 | 52 | 17 | 2 |
| T20I | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 |
FAQ Section
Q: Who won the match? A: Zimbabwe won the match by 6 wickets with 3 balls remaining in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Q: Who was the Player of the Match? A: Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza was named Player of the Match for his explosive and crucial innings of 45 runs off just 26 balls.
Q: What was the match result? A: Sri Lanka scored 178/7 in their 20 overs. Zimbabwe successfully chased the target, finishing at 182/4 in 19.3 overs to win by 6 wickets.
Q: When and where was the match played? A: The match was played on February 19, 2026, at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Q: What is the current series score? A: Since this was a group-stage fixture of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, there is no bilateral series score. Both teams earn points in the World Cup group standings.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the sri lanka national cricket team vs zimbabwe national cricket team match scorecard reflects a high-scoring thriller where Zimbabwe’s top order outplayed the hosts in a tense finish. Brian Bennett’s masterful 63 and Sikandar Raza’s quickfire 45 were the difference-makers. Cricket fans were treated to a spectacular display of T20 batting, and this match will be remembered for its nail-biting finish.
As the tournament progresses, both teams will analyze this detailed sri lanka national cricket team vs zimbabwe national cricket team match scorecard to improve their strategies for the knockout stages. Zimbabwe will look to carry this momentum into their next Super Eight fixture, while Sri Lanka will need to regroup and fix their death bowling before their next crucial World Cup match.