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Bennett remains top scorer with 48 runs as his side reach modest 104-run target in 14 overs
Zimbabwe’s Brian Bennett plays a shot during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against Oman at Sinhalese Sports Club on February 09, 2026 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. — ICC
Zimbabwe claimed an eight-wicket win over Oman in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign opener at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground on Monday.
Chasing Oman’s modest total of 104, Zimbabwe reached the target in 14 overs, losing just two wickets. Openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani gave the team a strong start, scoring quickly in a low-scoring contest.
Marumani was dismissed in the fourth over by Sufyan Mehmood for 21 off 11 balls, which included five boundaries, breaking the 30-run opening stand. Shortly after, Dion Myers fell for a second-ball duck, leaving Zimbabwe at 30-2 in 3.3 overs.
Brian Bennett found support from Brendan Taylor, and together they took the team past the 50-run mark in the seventh over, achieving a 50-run partnership.
However, Taylor retired hurt after scoring 31 off 30 balls, making way for skipper Sikandar Raza.
Raza struck a boundary to hit the winning runs, remaining unbeaten on five off two deliveries, while Bennett top-scored with 48 off 36 balls, including seven fours.
Batting first, Oman got off to a disappointing start as captain Jatinder Singh was dismissed for a run-a-ball five on the first delivery of the second over, bowled by Blessing Muzarabani.
The pressure intensified in the following over when Hammad Mirza was dismissed for a five-ball duck by Richard Ngarava, leaving Oman struggling early at 8-2 in 2.2 overs.
Oman slipped further in the fourth over as Kaleem was dismissed cheaply for five off seven deliveries, including one boundary. In the same over, Karan Sonavale was sent back for a duck, compounding Oman’s troubles.
The collapse continued when Sikandar Raza clean-bowled Wasim Ali for three off eight deliveries reducing Oman to 27-5 in six overs.
Sufyan Mehmood and Vinayak Shukla then attempted to steady the innings, putting together a 42-run partnership to take the total past the 50-run mark.
However, Ngarava broke the stand by dismissing Shukla for 28 off 21 deliveries, featuring four boundaries, with the score at 69-6 in 14.1 overs.
In the same over, Oman lost their seventh wicket as Jiten Ramanandi was dismissed for one off three balls, giving Ngarava his third wicket of the innings.
Brad Evans struck in the 17th over to remove Mehmood, who top-scored with 25 off 39 deliveries, including two fours. Despite early struggles, Nadeem Khan and Shakeel Ahmed added some late runs.
Evans bowled the final over and dismissed Shakeel for four, while Shah Faisal struck a boundary off his first delivery to take Oman past the 100-run mark.
Nadeem Khan was the final wicket to fall, dismissed by Evans after scoring a crucial 20 off 18 deliveries.
For Zimbabwe, Blessing Muzarabani, Brad Evans and Richard Ngarava led the bowling attack with three wickets each, while Sikandar Raza chipped in with one.
