Brian Bennett carried his bat and remained unbeaten on 64 off 56 balls but could not kick on as much as he would have liked. Bennett played well and was ably supported by his partners who played at a better tempo and made sure they lost only 2 wickets in the innings. Zimbabwe posted 169/2 in 20 overs which could have been 180+ from where they were. The game is nicely in the balance at the interval at this stage.
Zimbabwe Gets Off To A Solid Start 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. Australia burnt a review for caught behind against Bennett in the fourth ball of the match. Marcus Stoinis had ball in hand for Australia and he bowled a tight over as well. Dwarshuis continued as Marumani crunched through covers and cover point for a boundary. Marumani heaved it away again through square leg for a boundary.
Glenn Maxwell came into the attack next. Marumani greeted him with a reverse sweep over backward point for a boundary. Marumani took hold of Maxwell with a reverse sweep again over cover point for a boundary and swept it to long leg for a boundary. Matthew Kuhnemann came into the attack next as Bennett blasted it away over mid-on for a boundary. Bennett slogged it away over midwicket for a boundary.
Nathan Ellis came into the attack post the powerplay. Bennett crunched it away past wide 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 was with him unbeaten on 19 off 21 balls.
Marumani falls, but Zimbabwe makes decent progress in the middle phase of the game
Adam Zampa came into the attack post the powerplay as Bennett caressed the ball through the covers for a boundary. The 50 came up for Zimbabwe in 6.2 overs. Marumani punished the ball on the legs by pulling past short fine leg for a boundary. Marcus Stoinis returned as Marumani got an outside edge as the ball went past the diving keeper and away to the third man fence. But Stoinis provided the breakthrough for Australia as he removed Marumani for 35 off 21 balls with 7 fours to his name with an edge to the keeper. Ryan Burl came out to bat next.
Zampa continued as he bowled a decent over. Cameron Green came into the attack to bowl the 10th over as he gave away wides while Australia burnt their final review for an appeal for caught down the leg side as Australia were down to 0 reviews left as Zimbabwe reached 79/1 in 10 overs at the halfway stage of the game. Kuhnemann returned to the attack and bowled a decent over.
Nathan Ellis came back into the attack as Burl swivel pulled the ball to the deep backward square leg fence. Burl smashed the ball down the ground over the bowler’s head for a boundary. Kuhnemann continued as the 100 came up for Zimbabwe in 12.2 overs. Burl reverse swept it over backward point for a boundary. Dwarshuis came back into the attack as Bennett smashed it over mid-off for a boundary as the 50-run stand came up between the two players. Zimbabwe were 118/1 in 14 overs when we paused for the Drinks Break.
Zampa came back into the attack as Bennett rocked back and cut it away through cover point for a boundary. Bennett reached his half-century off 43 balls. Zimbabwe were 125/1 in 15 overs with Bennett unbeaten on 50 off 43 balls while Burl was with him unbeaten on 30 off 26 balls.
Australia does well to keep Zimbabwe to 169/2 in 20 oversÂ
Marcus Stoinis continued as Burl hammered the ball down the ground for a boundary. Stoinis dropped a tough catch of his own bowling and hurt his palm. He walked off the field straightaway. Cameron Green came to complete the over and he got rid of Burl for 35 off 30 balls with 4 fours to his name. Captain Sikandar Raza came out to bat next. Ellis returned to the attack and bowled a quiet over.
Ben Dwarshuis came back to bowl his final over as Raza hopped and helped it on its way past short fine leg for a boundary. Raza caressed the ball through the covers for a boundary. Bennett got a reprieve as he was dropped by Kuhnemann at deep midwicket off Ben Dwarshuis. Bennett then hit a boundary by flat batting it over mid-off for a boundary.
Zampa came to bowl the 19th over and he bowled a terrific over. Nathan Ellis bowled the last over of the innings. Raza hit the last ball of the innings by going deep in his crease and flicking the ball over deep backward square leg for the maximum to end the innings on a high. Zimbabwe ended with a competitive 169/2 in 20 overs with Bennett unbeaten on 64 off 56 balls with 7 fours to his name while Raza was unbeaten on 25 off 13 balls with 2 fours and one six to his name. 10 extras given by Australia.
Marcus Stoinis finished with 1/17 in 2.5 overs and went off the field with an injury. Cameron Green bowled 1/6 in 1.1 overs. Ben Dwarshuis finished with 0/40 in 4 overs. Glenn Maxwell bowled an over for 14 runs. Matthew Kuhnemann finished with 0/24 in 3 overs. Nathan Ellis finished with 0/34 in 4 overs. Adam Zampa finished with 0/31 in 4 overs. Australia’s target is 170 runs in 20 overs.
Who’s Winning, Australia or Zimbabwe?Â
Zimbabwe have done well to post 169/2 which will be a competitive score on this pitch. But they could have got to 180+ and so we feel they are 10-15 runs short. But early wickets will keep Zimbabwe in the game. Australia bats deep and will find a way to win. The match can go either way and it’s in the balance if we could put it that way.
Let’s see how this chase unfolds from here.
Also Read:Â ICC T20 WC 2026: Zimbabwe Makes A Solid Start At Halfway Stage Of Game.