Match Overview
The highly anticipated zimbabwe national cricket team vs sri lanka national cricket team match scorecard from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2025/26 delivered a thrilling contest for cricket fans worldwide. Played as the 38th Match of Group B on February 19, 2026, this T20I clash took place at the iconic R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first, looking to put a competitive total on the board in front of their home crowd.
They managed to post a formidable 178/7 in their 20 overs, thanks to some solid batting performances. However, Zimbabwe chased down the target brilliantly, reaching 182/4 in 19.3 overs to win the cricket match by 6 wickets with 3 balls to spare. The Player of the Match award was given to the exceptional Sikandar Raza for his all-round contributions.
Sri Lanka Batting Scorecard — Zimbabwe National Cricket Team vs Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Match Scorecard
(Sri Lanka Innings)
| 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 | 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 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
| 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 — Zimbabwe National Cricket Team vs Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Match Scorecard
(Zimbabwe Innings)
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Bennett | not out | 63 | 48 | 8 | 0 | 131.25 |
| Tadiwanashe Marumani | c & b Wellalage | 34 | 26 | 5 | 1 | 130.76 |
| Ryan Burl | c Perera b Shanaka | 23 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 191.66 |
| Sikandar Raza | 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
| 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 |
Key Highlights & Match Analysis
The zimbabwe national cricket team vs sri lanka national cricket team match scorecard reflects a game filled with momentum shifts and brilliant individual performances. When analyzing the batting department, Brian Bennett was undoubtedly the star for Zimbabwe. His unbeaten 63 off 48 balls anchored the chase perfectly, providing the stability needed after a few early wickets fell. For Sri Lanka, Pathum Nissanka top-scored with a magnificent 62 off 41 balls, striking 8 boundaries to keep the hosts in the game. Pavan Rathnayake also chipped in with a quickfire 44, while Sikandar Raza played a crucial cameo of 45 runs off just 26 balls for Zimbabwe, smashing 4 massive sixes.
In terms of bowling, the Zimbabwean attack shared the wickets around effectively. Graeme Cremer was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/27, maintaining an excellent economy rate of 6.75. Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans both picked up 2 wickets each, ensuring Sri Lanka could not accelerate freely in the death overs. For the home side, Dushan Hemantha was the most successful bowler, claiming 2 wickets for 36 runs, while Dunith Wellalage and Dasun Shanaka took one wicket each.
The turning point of the match came during the middle overs of Zimbabwe’s innings. After losing a couple of quick wickets, the partnership between Brian Bennett and Sikandar Raza completely changed the dynamics of the game. Raza’s aggressive batting took the pressure off Bennett, allowing the required run rate to drop significantly. By the time Raza was dismissed in the 18th over, Zimbabwe only needed a handful of runs to seal the victory.
This win was a massive milestone for Zimbabwe, as it helped them remain unbeaten in the group stages of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. It also showcased their ability to chase down high totals under pressure, proving that they are a formidable force in T20 cricket.
Head-to-Head Record
| Format | Matches | Sri Lanka Wins | Zimbabwe Wins | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20I | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 |
FAQ Section
Q: Who won the match between Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka? A: Zimbabwe won the match against Sri Lanka by 6 wickets with 3 balls remaining in the 38th Match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Q: Who was named the Player of the Match? A: Sikandar Raza from Zimbabwe was awarded the Player of the Match for his excellent all-round performance, scoring 45 runs and bowling his full quota of overs.
Q: What was the final match result? A: Sri Lanka batted first and scored 178/7 in 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, as part of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2025/26 series.
Q: What is the current series score or tournament standing? A: This was a group-stage match in the T20 World Cup rather than a bilateral series. With this victory, Zimbabwe remained unbeaten in the group stages and leapfrogged Sri Lanka in the Group B standings.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the zimbabwe national cricket team vs sri lanka national cricket team match scorecard highlights a spectacular T20 World Cup encounter where Zimbabwe’s clinical chase overpowered Sri Lanka’s batting effort. Brian Bennett’s masterful 63 and Sikandar Raza’s explosive cameo were the absolute difference-makers on the day. As the tournament progresses, both teams will look to bounce back strongly in their upcoming fixtures. Zimbabwe will carry massive confidence from this unbeaten run, while Sri Lanka will need to regroup quickly to fix their middle-order batting and death bowling issues for their next crucial match.