Zimbabwe men's national cricket team have qualified for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, which India and Sri Lanka will host between February and March 2026. After missing out on the previous edition in 2024 in West Indies and USA, the Chevrons are ready to return to the tournament, as they became the 17th team to qualify for the upcoming Men's T20 World Cup, where 20 teams will participate. 

ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026: Zimbabwe qualify after beating Kenya in Semi-final of Regional Qualifier

After Namibia have qualified for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 on Thursday (October 2) by winning the first Semi-final of the Africa Regional Final Qualifier against Tanzania, the hosts Zimbabwe faced Kenya in the second Semi-final on the same day at Harare. Kenya scored 122/6 in 20 overs after choosing to bat first, while the Chevrons comfortably chased down the target in 15 overs after losing only three wickets. While Namibia and Zimbabwe will face off in the Final on Saturday (October 4), they have already secured their spots for the next T20 World Cup. Both Namibia and Zimbabwe are unbeaten in the tournament. 

Experienced Kanyan cricketer Rakep Patel scored fighting 65 runs off 47 balls with eight fours and one six, but he hardly got any help from the other end, as no other Kenyan batters managed to reach the 20-run mark. The second-highest scorer was the no.6 batter Sachin Gill, who scored 19 runs before getting run out on the penultimate ball of the innings. 

Among the Zimbabwe bowlers, Blessing Muzarabani picked up two wickets, as he had the bowling figures of 4-0-19-2. 

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Brian Bennett won Player of the Match award for match-winning half-century

In reply, Zimbabwe openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani produced a 76-run opening partnership, as the hosts had no hard task chasing the target. While Marumani scored 39 off 27 balls with five fours, Bennett scored 51 off 25 balls with eight fours and two sixes.

In the group stage of the tournament, Zimbabwe beat Tanzania, Uganda, and Botswana to qualify for the Semi-finals as the Group B champions with six points after three matches. 

Namibia and Zimbabwe have secured their places at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after reaching the final of the Africa Regional Qualifier in Harare on Thursday. Both teams booked tickets for the tournament co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February-March 2026.

Namibia Cruises to Fourth Consecutive T20WC

Namibia defeated Tanzania by 63 runs in a thrilling semi-final. The Eagles were struggling at 41/4 in the fifth over but recovered through a match-turning partnership of 88 runs in 7.4 overs between Gerhard Erasmus and JJ Smit.

Erasmus’ calm innings and Smit’s aggressive counter-attack helped Namibia post 174/6. Their bowlers then restricted Tanzania to 111/8, securing a comfortable win. This victory marks Namibia’s fourth consecutive T20 World Cup qualification, following appearances in 2021, 2022, and 2024.

Zimbabwe Returns to the Big Stage

Hosts Zimbabwe, absent from the 2024 edition, bounced back emphatically by defeating Kenya by seven wickets. Kenya set a modest target of 123, largely thanks to Rakep Patel’s 65 (47). Zimbabwe chased it down in 15 overs, with opener Brian Bennett hitting a blistering 51 off 25 balls.

The Zimbabwean bowlers had earlier restricted Kenya to 122/6, paving the way for a smooth chase. With this win, Zimbabwe became the 17th team to qualify for T20 World Cup 2026.

Upcoming Africa Final

Namibia and Zimbabwe will face off in the Africa Regional Final on October 4, but both sides have already secured their World Cup spots.

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Full List of Teams Qualified for T20 World Cup 2026

 Only three spots remain, which will be decided via the Asia-EAP Qualifier next year.

Zimbabwe Set to Host Afghanistan

In other news, Zimbabwe will host Afghanistan for a one-off Test and three T20Is in October-November.

Zimbabwe’s managing director Givemore Makoni highlighted that matches against Afghanistan are “keenly contested and entertaining,” promising exciting cricket for fans. 

Namibia and Zimbabwe are now back on the T20 World Cup stage, ready to challenge the world’s best next February in India and Sri Lanka.

While the Indian team is ready to start their journey in the Asia Cup 2025, a former Indian captain and one of the heroes of the Indian cricket team that won the 1983 Cricket World Cup, is unhappy with the team and feels that the Men in Blues can't defend the Men's T20 World Cup trophy in the upcoming edition. 

Suryakumar Yadav-led India are ready for the Asia Cup 2025, which will be played in T20I format, a preparation for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, which India and Sri Lanka will host in next year's February and March. Apart from co-hosting the next T20 World Cup, India will also defend the title, as they won the last T20 World Cup (2024) in West Indies and USA, which was their second T20 World Cup title after winning its inaugural edition in 2007. 

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There is no chance of winning the T20 World Cup with this bunch: Krishnamachari Srikkanth

Former Indian captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth, who was the highest run-scorer in India's victorious 1983 World Cup Final against West Indies, feels that India may win the upcoming Asia Cup, but they can't win the next T20 World Cup with this team.

Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel, “We might win the Asia Cup with this team, but there is no chance of winning the T20 World Cup with this bunch. Are you going to take this team to the World Cup? Is this the preparation for the T20 World Cup, which is hardly six months away?” 

While Indian Test captain and ODI vice-captain Shubman Gill has been included in the Asia Cup squad as a vice-captain, Srikkanth is unhappy with the vice-captaincy exclusion from the all-rounder Axar Patel. He is also unhappy with the selections of Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, and Harshit Rana.

Srikkanth questioned, “They have gone backwards. Axar Patel has been axed from vice-captaincy. I don’t know how Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, and Harshit Rana have come in. IPL is considered the main criterion for selection, but the selectors seem to have considered performances before that.” 

Who will bat at No. 5? 

The former Indian captain has questioned the no.5 batting position, while he is also disappointed with the non-inclusion of the Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Srikkanth added, “Who will bat at No. 5? Five has to be either Sanju Samson, Jitesh Sharma or Shivam Dube or Rinku Singh. Hardik Pandya usually bats at No. 5, so now, Axar cannot bat at six. I can’t understand how they picked Dube. Yashasvi Jaiswal has performed in international cricket and IPL as well. What does he do?”