In a Group B encounter at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Zimbabwe made a positive start to the innings after being asked to bat first by Australia. Zimbabwe took it calmly and went about in a cool manner and they lost 0 wickets in powerplay. Australia managed to get a wicket post that but Zimbabwe have made sure that at the halfway stage of the game, they will have 9 wickets in hand and almost 80 on the board.
Zimbabwe makes a steady start by not losing a wicket in powerplay
Put into bat first, Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani opened the batting for Zimbabwe while Ben Dwarshuis had ball in hand for Australia. Australian wasted a review against Bennett for caught behind. Ben bowled a good first over. Marcus Stoinis had ball in hand from the other end and he too bowled a quiet over. Ben continued as Marumani broke the shackles by slapping it hard between covers and cover point for a boundary. Marumani heaved it across the line through square leg for a boundary as well.
Glenn Maxwell came into the attack next. Marumani welcomed Maxwell with a reverse sweep over backward point for a boundary. Marumani took on Maxwell again as he reverse swept over cover point and then swept it to the long leg region. Matthew Kuhnemann came into the attack. Bennett blasted the ball over mid-on for a boundary. Bennett again slooged it away over midwicket for another boundary.
Nathan Ellis came into the attack to bowl the last over of powerplay. Bennett crunched it away through mid-off for a boundary. Zimbabwe reached 47/0 in 6 overs at the end of powerplay with Marumani unbeaten on 26 off 15 balls while Bennett unbeaten on 19 off 21 balls. Drinks was taken at this stage.
Marcus Stoinis removes Marumani but Brian Bennett and Ryan Burl takes Zimbabwe to 79/1 in 10 overs
Adam Zampa came into the attack post the powerplay. Bennett caressed through the covers for a boundary. The 50 came up and of the partnership between the two openers. Marumani got into the act as he pulled Zampa to the fine leg region for a boundary. Marcus Stoinis came back into the attack. Marumani threw his bat at it and got the thick outside edge past the diving keeper for a boundary.
Stoinis finally provided the breakthrough for Australia as he removed Marumani for 35 off 21 balls with 7 fours to his name. Stoinis bowled a good length delivery cross seam angling across outside the off-stump as Marumani hung back and waft at it. He got a thick outside edge to the keeper Josh Inglis who made no mistake. Ryan Burl came out to bat next and got off the mark as well.
Zampa continued and he bowled a decent over. Cameron Green came into the attack to bowl the 10th over of the innings. He gifted a few wides and Australia burnt another review for caught down the leg side against Burl as the Aussies lost both reviews by 10 overs. At the end of 10 overs, Zimbabwe were well placed and had the platform with the score at 79/1 in 10 overs with Bennett unbeaten on 33 off 33 balls. Ryan Burl is with him unbeaten on 3 off 3 balls at the halfway stage of the game.
What Lies Ahead
Zimbabwe have given a good account of themselves and have wickets in hand after 10 overs. They are 79/1 and will look to get 160-170 from here which will be a competitive score in Colombo. Australia will want to make inroads and peg the run rate back. This game is fascinatingly poised. Let’s see how the second half of the innings has instore for us.
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