Zimbabwe upset injury-hit Australia
Zimbabwe rode on collective brilliance to pull off the first big upset of the ongoing T20 World Cup, stunning injury-ravaged former champions Australia by 23 runs on Friday. This was only the second time that the African nation defeated the traditional heavyweights in the format, having last beaten them back in the 2007 edition of the showpiece. Riding on opener Brian Bennett’s unbeaten 64 and useful contributions from other top-order batters, Zimbabwe posted a challenging 169 for 2 after Australia, who were without some of their front-line bowlers, invited them to bat.
The lower-ranked side then bowled Australia out for 146 in 19.3 overs on a sluggish pitch to register a famous win. In the 2007 edition of the same tournament, Zimbabwe, then led by Prosper Utseya, had beaten Australia by five wickets with one ball to spare in a low-scoring match in Cape Town. Pacer Blessing Muzarabani returned figures of 4/17, while Brad Evans (3/23), Wellington Masakadza (1/36) and Ryan Burl (1/9) also delivered with the ball for Zimbabwe.
It was a disaster for Australia in their pursuit of 170, as they suffered a top-order collapse and were reduced to 29 for 4 in 4.3 overs, with Josh Inglis (8), Travis Head (17), Cameron Green (0) and Tim David (0) dismissed cheaply. Matt Renshaw played a lone hand for Australia with a 44-ball 65 while Glenn Maxwell made 31. From 38 for 4 at the end of the Powerplay, Australia reached 67 for 4 at the halfway mark with 103 runs needed for a win. Maxwell and Renshaw then stitched a fifth-wicket stand of 77 runs off 9.5 overs to bring Australia back.
But Ryan Burl broke the partnership as Maxwell inside-edged one onto the stumps. Australia needed 56 runs from the final five overs but Marcus Stoinis, who earlier left the field after being hit during the Zimbabwe innings, got out soon for 6. Bennett took a stunning catch near the boundary to dismiss Ben Dwarshuis (7) for Brad Evan’s third wicket of the day. The target became 34 from 12 balls but Australia lost Renshaw and Adam Zampa (2) in the 19th over, and Matthew Kuhnemann (0) was run out in the final over.
Earlier, Zimbabwe’s top-order batters fired collectively against a depleted Australia bowling attack to post a challenging 169 for 2. Bennett struck seven fours from the 56 balls he faced and laid the perfect foundation for Zimbabwe for a big total, reaching 125 for one at the end of the 15th over. But Australia came back in the death overs, just conceding 44 runs in the final five overs. Zimbabwe's players celebrating after won the T20 World Cup cricket match against Australia in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
