🏏ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026:M19: AUS vs ZIM, Colombo 🏏

After a slightly delayed but emphatic start to their 2026 T20 World Cup campaign, Australia will look to build momentum when they face Zimbabwe in the day game at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday. Australia are coming off a 67-run win over Ireland, while Zimbabwe began with an eight-wicket demolition of Oman and will enter the contest high on confidence.

Even without their premier quicks, Australia found control through Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa, who claimed four wickets apiece to keep Ireland in check. The bowling unit looked balanced, and the batters adjusted smartly to conditions to post 182 on a surface that offered assistance to the slower bowlers. It was a total that proved more than competitive, underlining Australia's ability to assess and adapt. Another clinical outing is what they will be hoping for as they look to take a step closer to the knockouts.

Zimbabwe, too, will seek continuity. Their opening game was defined by pace, with Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava and Brad Evans picking up three wickets each to dismantle Oman. Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani then ensured there were no hiccups in the chase. The step up in opposition is significant, but Zimbabwe will hope to carry forward the clarity and conviction of their first performance and test Australia more sternly.

When: Friday, February 13, 2026 at 11:00 AM Local Time

Where: Match 19, R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

What to expect: This will be the first 11 AM start of the tournament at the R Premadasa Stadium, raising the possibility of early assistance for the bowlers. Sri Lanka successfully defended 163 here in a 7 PM fixture against Ireland, while Australia cruised past the same opposition after batting first in a 3 PM start. An even earlier game pushes both sides into relatively uncharted territory, but the template may still lean towards batting first and applying scoreboard pressure, especially if there is early movement on offer. Scattered thunderstorms are forecast for the afternoon, which could bring DLS calculations into play if the match extends into that window.

Head to head: Australia have a 2-1 record over Zimbabwe in T20Is. Zimbabwe's only win against them came in the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup, in which Brendan Taylor played a key role.

Team News:

Australia: Australia were without Mitchell Marsh in the opening game as he continued his recovery from a groin injury, while Tim David also sat out with a hamstring concern. "He's flying, he's running, fielding. And yeah, he's hitting the ball miles. So I hope we see him in the next game. If not, maybe the game after that. Not sure," Nathan Ellis had said of David after the previous match. Both players will be keen for game time, but with sterner assignments looming, Australia may yet choose caution and manage their return rather than rush them back.

Probable XI: Travis Head (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Cameron Green, Matt Renshaw, Cooper Connolly, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Nathan Ellis, Xavier Bartlett, Matthew Kuhnemann, Adam Zampa

Zimbabwe: Brendan Taylor limped off after retiring hurt in the win over Oman, casting a shadow over an otherwise dominant outing. Skipper Sikandar Raza struck a cautious note afterwards: "Hopefully, we've got three or four days, but we'll wait for the scan. His initial reaction was, 'I think it's bad', but we'll wait for the medical report." Blessing Muzarabani, speaking later at the press conference suggested it might have been 'a little cramp' and not 'anything serious'. If that proves to be the case, Zimbabwe could well stick with an unchanged XI.

Probable XI: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Dion Myers, Brendan Taylor (wk), Sikandar Raza (c), Ryan Burl, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani

Big picture - A rare Australia-Zimbabwe contest

After a difficult preparation amid a deepening injury crisis, Australia desperately just wanted to get their tournament started and the off-field distractions did not show during a clinical thrashing of Ireland.

It had started to feel that perhaps Australia's campaign was cursed before it even began, but they issued a reminder of their depth with spearhead Nathan Ellis stepping up in his return from injury while there were encouraging contributions through a measured batting line-up.

With skipper Mitchell Marsh's status unclear due to a testicular injury, it's not exactly smooth sailing just yet for Australia, but they can build momentum and take a significant step forward to the Super Eight stage with another victory in Colombo.

Australia will be heavily favoured but wary against a buoyant Zimbabwe, who enjoyed a successful return to World Cup action by crushing Oman in their opener. Brian Bennettunderlined his status as a prodigious talent with 48 off 36 balls then, and he will back his aggressive approach in the powerplay against an inexperienced Australia bowling attack.

Zimbabwe do not boast the type of menacing spin options to expose Australia on slower surfaces, but their bustling pace attack will enter confident after rolling Oman over cheaply. This will be a major step up for them, but Zimbabwe should feel excited about playing Australia with contests between these two Full-Member nations rare.

Australia and Zimbabwe have not played one another in any format since an ODI series in northern Queensland in mid-2022. Zimbabwe have been traditionally shunned by Australia although sentiment is starting to shift with the countries set to square off in a three-match ODI series in Zimbabwe later this year. There is also talk of their long Test drought - stretching back to 2003 - finally ending at some point in the next FTP.

To perhaps the surprise of some, Zimbabwe do have the bragging rights at the T20 World Cup, having beaten Australia by five wickets at the first edition in 2007 in their only tournament face-off. It was a historic performance for Zimbabwe against a star-studded Australia side captained by Ricky Ponting and featuring the likes of Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden and Brett Lee.

It must be said that Australia back in those days had relatively scant regard for T20I cricket. Times have certainly changed, with both teams knowing the stakes of this match and the importance of building early tournament momentum.

In the spotlight - Cameron Green and Blessing Muzarabani

In 12 innings since the start of the Ashes, Cameron Green has scored at least 17 runs on ten occasions but, bafflingly, his highest score is only 45. Once again, Green started well against Ireland with two sixes in his first ten balls to race to 21 before hitting straight to midwicket. It was a similar theme in Pakistan ahead of the T20 World Cup, where Green was Australia's standout batter in a wretched series defeat but he just could not kick on. Green, however, is hitting the ball sweetly and looking the goods at No. 3, where his muscular batting is well suited to the powerplay. A belated big score might not be far off.

If Zimbabwe are going to cause a boil over, then their tall pace attack will have to do some damage. Australia's batters will fancy their chances of counter-attacking, but Blessing Muzarabani looms as a handful given he took three wickets in the powerplay against Oman in his return from injury. He is a versatile bowler, able to menace with full and short deliveries, but he will need to hit the right lengths against Australia's aggressive top-order.

Team news: Mitchell Marsh unlikely to play

There remains some unknowns over Australia's line-up. Marsh is expected to be unavailable and while Steven Smith's call up has generated plenty of attention, he hasn't yet been officially added to the squad.

Big-hitter Tim David is getting closer to a return after a hamstring injury suffered in the BBL on Boxing Day. If David is fit, then the spotlight will turn to who he replaces. Matt Renshaw appears to have done enough after a well-compiled 37 off 33 balls against Ireland.

Spin-bowling allrounder Cooper Connolly could be in the selection gun after limited time at the crease batting at No. 7 and he finished with none for 26 from three overs with the ball. If they want to keep Connolly's bowling versatility then quick Xavier Bartlett could be under pressure after none for 22 from two overs against Ireland. Left-arm quick Ben Dwarshuis is also in the mix.

Australia (probable): 1 Travis Head (capt), 2 Josh Inglis (wk), 3 Cameron Green, 4 Matt Renshaw, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Cooper Connolly/Tim David, 8 Xavier Bartlett/Ben Dwarshuis, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Matt Kuhnemann, 11 Adam Zampa

Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Brendan Taylor, who made an unforgettable 60 not out in the 2007 World Cup match between the teams, is a doubtful starter after retiring hurt against Oman. The exact nature of his injury is unknown, but Taylor is most likely to miss this match and is set to be replaced by reserve keeper Clive Madande, who made ducks against Oman and Netherlands in the warm-up games. Zimbabwe could be tempted to include legspinner Graeme Cremer given the favourable conditions.

Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Brian Bennett, 2 Tadiwanashe Marumani, 3 Dion Mayers, 4 Brendan Taylor/Clive Madande (wk), 5 Sikandar Raza (capt), 6 Ryan Burl, 7 Tashinga Musekiwa, 8 Brad Evans, 9 Wellington Masakadza, 10 Richard Ngarava, 11 Blessing Muzarabani

Pitch and conditions

The Premadasa Stadium surface has played as expected so far this tournament - slow and spin-friendly, and more of the same is likely again. The day fixture will be played amid humid and overcast conditions. There is rain forecast in Colombo later in the afternoon, but might arrive after the match.

Stats and trivia

• Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis are both on 49 T20I career wickets. Only five Australian bowlers have taken at least 50 wickets in the format.
• Muzarabani is four away from becoming the third Zimbabwe bowler to reach 100 T20I wickets.
• The teams have only played each other in three T20Is with Australia holding a 2-1 edge after winning both matches during a tri-series (also featuring Pakistan) in Zimbabwe in 2018.

Hello folks,

Day 7, M19 of WC T20 AUS vs ZIM is in this thread

M20 CAN vs UAE at 3 PM IST in this thread

https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/cricket/5380856/icc-mens-t20-world-cup-2026-m20-can-vs-uae-delhi

Ciaooo!🙂‍↕️

Hey folks,

Day 7, M19 of WC T20 AUS vs ZIM is in this thread

M20 CAN vs UAE at 3 PM IST in this thread

https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/cricket/5380856/icc-mens-t20-world-cup-2026-m20-can-vs-uae-delhi

Ciaooo!🙂‍↕️

Thanks for the tag, WD!