Dominant Zimbabwe crush Oman to mark statement T20 World Cup comeback
T20 World Cup, OMA vs ZIM: Zimbabwe marked their return to the T20 World Cup with a convincing eight-wicket win over Oman. Zimbabwe bowled their opponents out for 103 and then chased down the target with 39 balls to spare.
Zimbabwe marked their return to the T20 World Cup with a performance that spoke of resilience and renewal, cruising to a dominant eight-wicket win over Oman at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. After the heartbreak of missing out on the 2024 edition, Zimbabwe left that disappointment firmly in the past, opening their 2026 campaign with authority and intent.
The contest was all but decided once Zimbabwe tore through Oman’s top order to leave them reeling at 27 for five. From there, Oman were left scrambling, never finding any rhythm or momentum. At no stage did they look in control, as Zimbabwe’s bowlers dominated proceedings and set up a straightforward chase, which Zimbabwe completed with ease, reaching the target of 104 with 39 balls to spare.
Oman vs Zimbabwe, T20 World Cup Highlights
OMAN CRUMBLE
After opting to bowl first, Zimbabwe struck early, rocking Oman by reducing them to 23 for four inside the powerplay. Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava breathed fire with the new ball, picking up two wickets each as Oman slipped into a deep hole at the start of the contest. Aamir Kaleem and skipper Jatinder Singh, two of Oman’s most consistent batters, were also dismissed cheaply, compounding their early troubles.
Once the powerplay ended, Sikandar Raza tightened the screws further by removing Wasim Ali, leaving Oman with little room for recovery as none of their top five batters managed to reach double figures. With half the side back in the pavilion and 13 overs still remaining, Sufyan Mehmood and Vinayak Shukla attempted to steady the innings. The pair added 42 runs for the sixth wicket, briefly injecting some momentum and resistance into Oman’s effort.
That stand was eventually broken by Brad Evans, who accounted for Mehmood after his 25-run contribution. Richard Ngarava then returned to strike again, claiming his third wicket by dismissing Shukla, who scored 28 off 21 balls. From there, Oman struggled to build any further partnerships, though Nadeem Khan’s late 20 off 18 deliveries pushed the total past the 100-run mark.
Zimbabwe’s bowling effort was clinical throughout, with Ngarava finishing with three wickets, while Muzarabani and Evans also chipped in with three apiece, underlining a dominant all-round performance with the ball.
ZIMBABWE CRUISE HOME
The chase proved largely one-sided as Zimbabwe overhauled the target in 13.3 overs. Tadiwanashe Marumani set the tone with a blistering 21 off 11 balls, providing early momentum at the top. His 30-run stand inside the first 3.1 overs laid a solid platform for Zimbabwe’s pursuit.
Sufyan Mehmood briefly revived Oman’s hopes by first dismissing Marumani and then removing Dion Myers for a golden duck. However, any optimism was quickly extinguished by a fluent 68-run partnership for the third wicket between Bennett and Brendan Taylor. Taylor played a composed hand, scoring 31 off 30 balls with three fours to steer Zimbabwe closer to victory.
Zimbabwe, though, will have a minor concern after Taylor retired hurt following discomfort in his right leg while attempting a second run. Bennett ensured there were no further hiccups, remaining unbeaten on 48 off 36 deliveries, an innings laced with seven fours. Sikandar Raza sealed the win in style, driving Karan Sonavale through the covers for the winning boundary as Zimbabwe cruised home without breaking a sweat.
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Zimbabwe marked their return to the T20 World Cup with a performance that spoke of resilience and renewal, cruising to a dominant eight-wicket win over Oman at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. After the heartbreak of missing out on the 2024 edition, Zimbabwe left that disappointment firmly in the past, opening their 2026 campaign with authority and intent.
The contest was all but decided once Zimbabwe tore through Oman’s top order to leave them reeling at 27 for five. From there, Oman were left scrambling, never finding any rhythm or momentum. At no stage did they look in control, as Zimbabwe’s bowlers dominated proceedings and set up a straightforward chase, which Zimbabwe completed with ease, reaching the target of 104 with 39 balls to spare.
Oman vs Zimbabwe, T20 World Cup Highlights
OMAN CRUMBLE
After opting to bowl first, Zimbabwe struck early, rocking Oman by reducing them to 23 for four inside the powerplay. Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava breathed fire with the new ball, picking up two wickets each as Oman slipped into a deep hole at the start of the contest. Aamir Kaleem and skipper Jatinder Singh, two of Oman’s most consistent batters, were also dismissed cheaply, compounding their early troubles.
Once the powerplay ended, Sikandar Raza tightened the screws further by removing Wasim Ali, leaving Oman with little room for recovery as none of their top five batters managed to reach double figures. With half the side back in the pavilion and 13 overs still remaining, Sufyan Mehmood and Vinayak Shukla attempted to steady the innings. The pair added 42 runs for the sixth wicket, briefly injecting some momentum and resistance into Oman’s effort.
That stand was eventually broken by Brad Evans, who accounted for Mehmood after his 25-run contribution. Richard Ngarava then returned to strike again, claiming his third wicket by dismissing Shukla, who scored 28 off 21 balls. From there, Oman struggled to build any further partnerships, though Nadeem Khan’s late 20 off 18 deliveries pushed the total past the 100-run mark.
Zimbabwe’s bowling effort was clinical throughout, with Ngarava finishing with three wickets, while Muzarabani and Evans also chipped in with three apiece, underlining a dominant all-round performance with the ball.
ZIMBABWE CRUISE HOME
The chase proved largely one-sided as Zimbabwe overhauled the target in 13.3 overs. Tadiwanashe Marumani set the tone with a blistering 21 off 11 balls, providing early momentum at the top. His 30-run stand inside the first 3.1 overs laid a solid platform for Zimbabwe’s pursuit.
Sufyan Mehmood briefly revived Oman’s hopes by first dismissing Marumani and then removing Dion Myers for a golden duck. However, any optimism was quickly extinguished by a fluent 68-run partnership for the third wicket between Bennett and Brendan Taylor. Taylor played a composed hand, scoring 31 off 30 balls with three fours to steer Zimbabwe closer to victory.
Zimbabwe, though, will have a minor concern after Taylor retired hurt following discomfort in his right leg while attempting a second run. Bennett ensured there were no further hiccups, remaining unbeaten on 48 off 36 deliveries, an innings laced with seven fours. Sikandar Raza sealed the win in style, driving Karan Sonavale through the covers for the winning boundary as Zimbabwe cruised home without breaking a sweat.
T20 World Cup | T20 World Cup Schedule | T20 World Cup Points Table | T20 World Cup Videos | Cricket News | Live Score