Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe Highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka, enter Super 8 undefeated

... THE RUN CHASE ...

A quick chat - Graeme Cremer (4-0-27-2) comes up for a quick interview. Shares that it is a good batting surface but feels the spinners get their reward by bowling slower through the air. In his view, taking the pace off makes it much harder for the batters. Cremer adds that the Powerplay is crucial for Zimbabwe when they come out to chase. Feels that if they make a solid start without losing too many wickets, the target feels about par. He reckons that if they bat well, the chase is well within reach. He also adds that it is great fun playing in front of a big, buzzing crowd.

Wickets shared, but runs leaked - Zimbabwe bowled tidily but conceded a few more runs than they would have liked. Blessing Muzarabani, Graeme Cremer, and Brad Evans each picked up two wickets, while Ryan Burl struck the key blow by dismissing Kusal Mendis. There were good patches of bowling, but some wayward deliveries and misfields allowed Sri Lanka to post a competitive total. Chasing 179, Zimbabwe will need a composed and powerful batting performance. Who do you think will continue their unbeaten run? We’ll find out soon. Stay tuned for the second essay!

Openers lay the foundation - Sri Lanka have scored an impressive 178/7 in their 20 overs, finishing with an above-par total after a thrilling final over that yielded 14 runs. Electing to bat first, they got off to a solid start with Kusal Perera and Pathum Nissanka putting together a 54-run partnership for the opening wicket. After Perera’s departure, Kusal Mendis continued the momentum, forming another steady stand with Nissanka. Pathum Nissanka was in sublime form, contributing a brilliant 62, while Pavan Rathnayake accelerated in the final overs with a quickfire 44 off just 25 balls. Although wickets fell regularly after the 15th over, a late cameo from Dunith Wellalage ensured that Sri Lanka closed their innings on a strong note.

Blessing Muzarabani to Dunith Wellalage, FOUR! Back-to-back boundaries to end the innings! Blessing Muzarabani digs it into the pitch, takes pace off too, but angles it down the leg side. Dunith Wellalage gets inside the line of it and helps it on its way over short fine for four more runs. 14 runs from the final over and Sri Lanka finish on 178/7.

Blessing Muzarabani to Dunith Wellalage, FOUR! Excellent shot! Blessing Muzarabani just misses the wide yorker, outside off. Dunith Wellalage opens the face of his bat and squeezes it out over point for another boundary.

Blessing Muzarabani to Dunith Wellalage, Nicely bowled! A clever slower delivery, back of a length and outside off. Dunith Wellalage slashes very early at it and misses.

Blessing Muzarabani to Dunith Wellalage, Appeal for a caught behind! Back of a length and angling into the leg side. Dunith Wellalage looks to hook it away but misses. Tadiwanashe Marumani grabs it behind the stumps and appeals for the catch, but it is turned down. Sikandar Raza takes the review. UltraEdge confirms no bat is involved, and the on-field call of Not Out remains.

Blessing Muzarabani to Dunith Wellalage, Fuller and around off, Dunith Wellalage slices it over extra cover for a brace.

Blessing Muzarabani to Dunith Wellalage, FOUR! Up and over! Short of a length and just around off. Dunith Wellalage accepts the width on offer and cuts it over backward point for a boundary.

Last over coming up now. Can Blessing Muzarabani keep Sri Lanka under 175 here?

Brad Evans to Dushan Hemantha, OUT! CAUGHT! Two in two for Brad Evans. This is another slower one, full and on middle. Dushan Hemantha looks to go big down the ground but fails to get underneath it. It flies high in the air towards long on, where Ryan Burl settles under it and takes an easy catch. Sri Lanka are 164/7 now.

The next batter is... Dushan Hemantha.

Brad Evans to Pavan Rathnayake, OUT! CAUGHT! Brad Evans strikes. He has now picked up at least a wicket in 27 innings in a row in T20s. An off-cutter, hard length and just outside off, Pavan Rathnayake throws his hands at it to reach out. Gets a thick outside edge that goes straight to short third, where Graeme Cremer takes it with a reverse cup. 44 off just 25 for Pavan. Impactful knock.

Brad Evans to Pavan Rathnayake, FOUR! Excellent batting! Fuller and around off, pace on. Pavan Rathnayake extends his arms to get under it and carves it over extra cover for four more runs. 16 runs already with two balls to go in the over.

Brad Evans to Pavan Rathnayake, SIX! Massive hit, and it goes into the stands! Short of a length and angling into the batter. Pavan Rathnayake backs away early, manages to get on top of the bounce and whacks it over the deep square leg fence for a biggie. This lad is a clean striker of a cricket ball.

Brad Evans to Pavan Rathnayake, FOUR! Good innovation! Brad Evans tries the back-of-the-hand slower one, but loses grip and serves a loopy full toss. Pavan Rathnayake shuffles across early, waits for it and scoops it over the keeper's head for a boundary.

Brad Evans to bowl the penultimate over. He has conceded 19 runs in his first two overs.

Brad Evans to Pavan Rathnayake, A slower one, full and on off, Pavan Rathnayake drills it wide of long off for a brace.

Blessing Muzarabani to Pavan Rathnayake, Good length and around off, Pavan Rathnayake guides it to deep third for one. Just 6 runs and a wicket from the over!

Blessing Muzarabani to Pavan Rathnayake, Beaten! Hard-length delivery, on off, holds its line and takes off too. Pavan Rathnayake looks to target the leg side with a flick but gets beaten on the outside edge.

Blessing Muzarabani to Pavan Rathnayake, FOUR! Gets it away! Blessing Muzarabani lands this back of a length and around off, slower as well. Pavan Rathnayake climbs onto it and pulls it wide of deep mid-wicket. The fielder runs to his right, dives and gets a hand to it but the ball still trickles to the fence for a boundary.

Blessing Muzarabani to Dunith Wellalage, On a length and around off, Dunith Wellalage steers it towards point for a single.

Blessing Muzarabani to Dunith Wellalage, No hat-trick! Short of a length and on middle, Dunith Wellalage stays back and blocks it out.

Sri Lanka lose half their side now. Dunith Wellalage is the next man in.

Blessing Muzarabani to Dasun Shanaka, OUT! TAKEN! Blessing Muzarabani strikes right away in his second spell. He bangs this into the pitch, around leg, takes pace off. Dasun Shanaka tries to pick it up and whip it away but just fails to get the elevation on the shot. It flies straight down the throat of deep square leg, where Tashinga Musekiwa gets low and pouches it safely. Muzarabani is on a hat-trick now as he had picked up a wicket on the last ball of his previous spell.

Blessing Muzarabani (2-0-18-1) is back on.

Sikandar Raza to Pavan Rathnayake, SIX! Goes all the way! Sikandar Raza gives this one a bit more air, full and on middle. Pavan Rathnayake skips down the track and slogs it towards deep mid-wicket. Wellington Masakadza runs a long way inside, but loses sight of the ball. He watches it sail over his head for a biggie. 15 from the over and it spoils Sikandar Raza's overall figures. 

Sikandar Raza to Dasun Shanaka, Drags his length back, on leg, Dasun Shanaka nudges it through mid-wicket for one.

Sikandar Raza to Pavan Rathnayake, Flatter delivery, full and on the pads, Pavan Rathnayake flicks it away between deep mid-wicket and deep square leg. Wellington Masakadza runs to his right from the former region and slides to stop. However, he parries it away, which allows the third run.

Sikandar Raza to Dasun Shanaka, Goes short and on middle and leg, Dasun Shanaka punches it down to long on for another run.

Sikandar Raza to Pavan Rathnayake, Sikandar Raza bowls it with the low-arm action, full and on middle. Pavan Rathnayake cannot get under it and lofts it straight to long on for just a run.

Sikandar Raza to Dasun Shanaka, Shorter in length and around off, Dasun Shanaka stabs it out to extra cover for a run. Uh..oh! The siren goes off here, which means Raza has overstepped here. No Ball called and a Free Hit to follow.

Sikandar Raza to Pavan Rathnayake, Tossed up, full and on middle, Pavan Rathnayake uses his feet to drive but gets an inside edge to short fine for a single.

Graeme Cremer to Pavan Rathnayake, Flighted, full and on off, Pavan Rathnayake eases it to long off for one. Just 5 from the over, Graeme Cremer finishes his spell with superb figures of 4-0-27-2.

Graeme Cremer to Dasun Shanaka, Just short! Graeme Cremer drags his length back and around middle. Dasun Shanaka heaves it towards deep mid-wicket but does not get the timing, which probably saves him. It flies flat but drops in front of the deep mid-wicket fielder, Brian Bennett. They cross.

Graeme Cremer to Dasun Shanaka, Almost another caught and bowled and nearly a run out! Flighted, full and on middle, Dasun Shanaka uses his feet and lifts it over the bowler. Graeme Cremer on his follow-through, leaps up and gets his right hand on it but it does not stick in. He turns back, grabs it on the bounce and breaks the stumps at the bowler's end, but the dive from Pavan saves him here. Very eventful ball.

Graeme Cremer to Dasun Shanaka, Short and outside off, Dasun Shanaka cuts it wide of deep point for a brace.

Another one bites the dust. Skipper Dasun Shanaka walks out to the middle now.

Graeme Cremer to Kamindu Mendis, OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Graeme Cremer gets his second wicket and removes the dangerous Kamindu Mendis. He tosses it up, full and on middle, this one holds up on the surface a bit. Mendis looks to push it away but goes through the shot a bit early. He ends up chipping it straight back to the bowler, and Cremer takes a dolly. It's a good passage of play for Zimbabwe, they are chipping away at the wickets at regular intervals. 

Graeme Cremer to Pavan Rathnayake, Flatter, full and on off, Pavan Rathnayake bunts it back towards the bowler. Graeme Cremer makes a half-stop on the follow-through and allows the single.

Ryan Burl to Kamindu Mendis, FOUR! The extra ball costs Zimbabwe the boundary! Flighted full, quicker one, on off. Kamindu Mendis drills it hard past the bowler and down the ground for a powerful boundary. With 5 overs left, Sri Lanka are 122/3.

Ryan Burl to Kamindu Mendis, WIDE! Flighted delivery, landing full, but down the leg side. Kamindu Mendis plays and misses. Wided.

Ryan Burl to Pavan Rathnayake, Looped up full, on the middle and leg. Pavan Rathnayake flicks it through mid-wicket and takes one more.

Ryan Burl to Kamindu Mendis, Tossed up full, attacking the stumps. Kamindu Mendis thinks about playing the sweep initially, but changes the shot and flicks it through square leg. Settles for one.

Ryan Burl to Pavan Rathnayake, Shortish leg break, around off. Pavan Rathnayake cuts it toward the deep point region for a single.

Ryan Burl to Pavan Rathnayake, WIDE! Burl serves it full and well wide outside the tramline. Pavan Rathnayake thinks of coming down the pitch but waits and lets the ball go. Wide signaled.

Ryan Burl to Pavan Rathnayake, Tossed up full, on off. Pavan Rathnayake shimmies down and drives it past the bowler and down the ground to long on for a couple.

Ryan Burl to Pavan Rathnayake, Flighted delivery, on a fullish length, spinning away, around off. Pavan Rathnayake looks to sweep but fails to connect.

Graeme Cremer to Kamindu Mendis, Tossed up and full, on the middle and leg. Kamindu Mendis works it into the gap at deep square leg and gets off the mark with a couple. A top over from Cremer.