The full house R. Premadasa Stadium witnessed history on February 19. Zimbabwe outplayed Sri Lanka, the co-host of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2026, by 6 wickets and 3 balls to spare.

It was a group stage match of the tournament, but the atmosphere of the arena was electrifying, and spectators who visited the venue were gifted with a thriller. Like many instances, when Zimbabwe took the field, they were the least favorite to win the match. February 19 was not exceptional.

No matter which side the crowd was in the valley, they eventually ended in a standing ovation for the winning team, which was Zimbabwe, the underdog. From the beginning of the tournament, they found themselves out of the equation. They were not considered as one of the dark horses. Proving most of the speculations wrong, the Chevrons qualified for the next phase of the T20 World Cup 2026, and in their final match of the group stage, they outclassed the co-hosts, Sri Lanka.

According to the match results, Zimbabwe defeated Sri Lanka, one of the most preferred teams to qualify for the semifinals, by 6 wickets on Thursday. The crowd in Colombo, a majority of them definitely did not expect to see Zimbabwe conducting the victory lap, ended by praising their heart out fight.

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Brian Bennett, Zimbabwe opener, delivered out from the blue 

SIKANDAR RAZA - AN ICONIC LEADER IN ZIMBABWE CRICKET HISTORY. 🥶🇿🇼 pic.twitter.com/aucrAyI25p

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 19, 2026

There were multiple videos on the social media platforms to depict a summary of the ambiance of the stadium after the stunning result. The players, and the players of the Zimbabwe cricket team, may not forget the moment soon. According to the stats, Zimbabwe accomplished their second-best run chase (179 runs) in their history of the T20Is. In 2023, they went on to win against Namibia by chasing a target of 199.

A couple of years ago, Zimbabwe overtook Sri Lanka by chasing a target of 174. Out of multiple equations, the emerging T20 World Cup opener Brian Bennett emerged as one of the most consistent batters by registering 48* (36) vs Oman, 64* (56) vs Australia, and 63* (48) vs. Sri Lanka. 

Zimbabwe claimed a big win against Sri Lanka in the second game of the T20I tri-series in Pakistan, as the Chevrons thrashed the Lankans by 67 runs after bundling them out for 95 runs.

Sri Lanka chose to field first after winning the toss. While Zimbabwe scored 162/8 in 20 overs, Sri Lanka were all out for only 95 runs in 20 overs, as they were never in the battle in the second innings. While Zimbabwe won by 67 runs, it was the largest T20I win (by runs) against an ICC Full member.

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Brian Bennett and Sikandar Raza scored crucial 40s

Zimbabwe opener Brian Bennett scored a crucial 49 runs off 42 balls with five fours and one six. Although the other opener Tadiwanashe Marumani (10) and Brendon Taylor (11) lost their wickets cheaply inside the powerplay, skipper Sikandar Raza promoted himself and played another crucial role with the bat. 

Bennett and Raza had a 61-run partnership for the third wicket, while Raza scored 47 off 32 balls with three fours and two sixes. Lately, only Ryan Burl (18) and Tashinga Musekiwa (11) managed to reach the double-digit marks, as the Chevrons managed to score 160+ this time.  

Among the Lankan bowlers, Wanindu Hasaranga got three wickets (3/32), and the T20I debutant Eshan Malinga picked up two wickets (2/27).  

Only one Sri Lankan batter reached 15-run mark

In reply, Zimbabwe bowlers controlled the powerplay excellently, as Sri Lanka managed to score only 25/2 in the first six overs with only two fours. After the powerplay, the Lankans failed to handle the required run rate pressure, as the batting completely collapsed. Only the skipper Dasun Shanaka (34) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (11) managed double-digit scores in that innings.  

While Brad Evans bagged three wickets (3/9), Richard Ngarava got two wickets (2/15), as all six Zimbabwe bowlers managed to pick up at least one wicket in that innings. After Ngarava (107 wickets), Raza became the second Zimbabwe bowler to record 100 T20I wickets. 

Sri Lanka clinched a thrilling victory by seven runs against Zimbabwe in the first ODI at Harare Sports Club. Batting first, Sri Lanka posted a commanding total of 298/6 in 50 overs, thanks to consistent contributions from the middle order. After losing opener Nishan Madushka early, Pathum Nissanka anchored the innings with a composed 76 runs off 92 balls, striking 12 boundaries. His effort set the stage for Sri Lanka to build a strong foundation despite facing disciplined bowling from Zimbabwe.

The middle order played a crucial role in Sri Lanka’s innings. Kusal Mendis made 38 before falling to Sean Williams, while Samarawickrama chipped in with 35. Captain Charith Asalanka struggled and departed cheaply, but Janith Liyanage’s unbeaten 70 off 47 balls was the highlight of the innings. Displaying powerful stroke play, he accelerated the scoring rate brilliantly in the death overs. Supporting him, Kamindu Mendis smashed 57 off 36 balls, guiding Sri Lanka to a near 300-run total.

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Zimbabwe’s bowling had mixed success. Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani picked up crucial wickets, while Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza used their variations to control the middle overs. However, the bowlers struggled to contain Sri Lanka in the final ten overs as the visitors plundered boundaries. Liyanage and Kamindu Mendis ensured the scoring momentum never dropped, with the last-wicket stand adding valuable runs that ultimately made the difference. Zimbabwe was left with a stiff chase of 299 to win.

Dilshan Madushanka hat trick guides Sri Lanka to victory

Chasing the target, Zimbabwe suffered a disastrous start, losing Brian Bennett and Brendan Taylor without troubling the scoreboard, both dismissed by Asitha Fernando. Ben Curran played a fighting knock of 70 but couldn’t convert it into a match-winning effort. The backbone of the chase was skipper Sean Williams’ 57 and star all-rounder Sikandar Raza’s explosive 92 off 87 balls, which kept Zimbabwe in the hunt. However, crucial wickets at regular intervals meant the required rate kept climbing.

The game went down to the wire as Zimbabwe needed 10 runs in the final over. Raza’s dismissal in the penultimate over by Dilshan Madushanka turned the match in Sri Lanka’s favor. Despite Tony Munyonga’s unbeaten 43, Zimbabwe fell short at 291/8 in 50 overs, handing Sri Lanka a narrow win. Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka starred with three wickets each, while Kamindu Mendis provided vital breakthroughs. The win gave Sri Lanka a 1-0 lead in the two-match series and set the tone for an exciting finale.