Zimbabwe made a resounding return to the global stage with a clinical 8-wicket demolition of Oman at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo. In a one-sided Zimbabwe vs Oman T20 World Cup 2026 encounter, Zimbabwe’s pace attack dismantled the Oman batting lineup before the batters chased down a modest target of 104 with more than six overs to spare.
Zimbabwe Pacers Unleash Chaos in Colombo
After winning the toss and electing to field, Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza watched his fast bowlers justify the decision immediately. Blessing Muzarabani set the tone by clean-bowling Oman captain Jatinder Singh in the second over.
The pressure was relentless as Richard Ngarava and Brad Evans joined the party. Oman’s top order had no answers for the extra bounce and pace, collapsing to a staggering 27/5 within the first seven overs. Muzarabani finished with elite figures of 3/16, while Ngarava (3/17) and Evans (3/18) ensured there was no escape for the associate nation.
Brief Resistance from Oman’s Middle Order
Oman avoided a total embarrassment thanks to a 42-run partnership between Vinayak Shukla (28) and Sufyan Mehmood (25). Their gritty stand helped the Gulf nation crawl past the 100-run mark. A late cameo of 20 from Nadeem Khan pushed the total to 103 all out in 19.5 overs, but it was never going to be enough against a focused Zimbabwe side.
Bennett and Taylor Cruise Through the Chase
Chasing 104, Zimbabwe faced a brief hiccup when Sufyan Mehmood dismissed Tadiwanashe Marumani (21) and Dion Myers (0) in the same over. However, the 22-year-old Brian Bennett showed why he is one of the most exciting talents in African cricket.
Bennett played a mature, unbeaten knock of 48 off 36 balls, featuring seven boundaries. He was well-supported by veteran Brendan Taylor, who contributed 31 before retiring hurt with a minor hamstring strain. Captain Sikandar Raza finished the game in style with a boundary, securing the win in just 13.3 overs.
Match Summary: ZIM vs OMA
| Team | Score | Top Performer |
| Oman | 103 (19.5) | Vinayak Shukla (28), Sufyan Mehmood (25) |
| Zimbabwe | 106/2 (13.3) | Brian Bennett (48), Blessing Muzarabani (3/16)* |
Result: Zimbabwe won by 8 wickets.
Player of the Match: Blessing Muzarabani
