Zimbabwe sealed an emphatic six-wicket win over Sri Lanka in Match 38 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, comfortably chasing 179 to finish the group stage unbeaten. The way that the African side handled themselves was impressive, as they naturally paced the innings well and kept the required run rate from exceeding manageable levels. Their calm and calculated play demonstrated a team with confidence and clarity. Their good strike rotation, disciplined shot selection, and timely boundaries meant that they always remained in front of the game; thus, they entered into the next stage of the competition as one of the best tactically inclined and rounded teams in the tournament.

Sri Lanka had set a decent target of 178/7 before they batted after losing the toss, with strong batting contributions from Nissanka (62) and Rathnayake (44). They were aggressive in their batting, however, they lost wickets at regular intervals. Nevertheless, they had developed some good partnerships and thus experienced some quick bursts of momentum during their innings. The excellent bowling of Blessing Muzarabani and Graeme Cremer resulted in the Sri Lankans losing wickets at key times, preventing them from scoring quickly at the end of their innings. The variations in pace and length through their spells reduced the Sri Lankan boundary-scoring opportunities and kept their total in a manageable range for the South Africans to chase.

 The pursuit was expertly anchored by an unbeaten 63 from Brian Bennett, whose knock blended patience with controlled aggression while stabilizing the innings after an early wicket. Captain Sikandar Raza then accelerated the chase with a dynamic 45 off 26 balls, shifting momentum decisively. Their partnership tilted the contest firmly in Zimbabwe’s favor and ensured there were no late stumbles. By the time the winning runs arrived with three balls remaining, Zimbabwe had underlined their consistency, depth, and belief, entering the Super 8 stage as genuine contenders rather than surprise qualifiers.

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T20 World Cup 2026: Updated Points Table after SL vs ZIM Match 38

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