At the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, the Australia national cricket team suffered a stunning 23-run defeat against the Zimbabwe national cricket team at the R. Premadasa Stadium. After being sent in to bat, Zimbabwe produced a disciplined and confident batting display, finishing on 169/2 in their 20 overs. Brian Bennett anchored the innings with a composed 64 off 56 balls, pacing his knock smartly and ensuring wickets were preserved for a late flourish. He received valuable support from the top order, allowing Zimbabwe to maintain a steady run rate against an experienced Australian bowling attack and set a challenging target under pressure conditions.
In reply, Australia’s chase never truly gained momentum despite a fighting 65 from Matt Renshaw and a brisk 31 by Glenn Maxwell. Regular breakthroughs dented their progress, as Zimbabwe’s bowlers executed their plans with precision. Blessing Muzarabani led the charge with a superb spell, claiming four crucial wickets and dismantling Australia’s middle order at key moments. The disciplined bowling effort ensured Australia were bowled out for 146 in 19.3 overs, sealing one of the tournament’s biggest upsets and significantly boosting Zimbabwe’s prospects in the group stage.
Zimbabwe’s victory over Australia has sparked a storm on social media, with fans expressing their views and sharing reactions online
ELATION IN COLOMBO!!!
ZIMBABWE HAVE BEATEN AUSTRALIA by 23 runs! 😭🇿🇼🫶🏼
What a day! What a team! 🇿🇼🇿🇼 pic.twitter.com/Ag1kia7ZlS
— Adam Theo🇿🇼🏏 (@AdamTheofilatos) February 13, 2026
Zimbabwe Take a Bow, They Defeated Australia by 23 runs 🔥
In T20 World Cup, AUS are yet to defeat ZIM.#T20WorldCup #AUSvsZIM pic.twitter.com/KddKc0eTN7
— Sujeet Gupta (@sujeet_gupta45) February 13, 2026
Aus Vs Zim
Zimbabwe pulled off a major upset, defeating Australia by 23 runs.
Whereas Australian team included
experienced players like Travis Head, Glen Maxwell, Adam Zampa and Marcus StoinisWith this win zimbabwe registered their second consecutive victory in the… pic.twitter.com/RcyNVqBRlE
— SHARAD YADAV (@SharadYadav31) February 13, 2026
Had no expectations on Zim until Maxwell’s wicket
Good that @ZimCricketv defeated @CricketAus pic.twitter.com/JB6GcytrgA
— Aidy 🦅 & DD Stan ❤️🔥 (@Aiden_K_Markram) February 13, 2026
Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 beat Australia by 23 runs
Fans : pic.twitter.com/auGU3VpH1r
— General Knowledge (@Knowledge0610) February 13, 2026
Ricky Pointing
Pat Cummins
Watching Aus VS Zim pic.twitter.com/Z5OzPl56qk— ND Sport (@SportsByND) February 13, 2026
Babar azam watching Zimbabwe performamce #ausvszim #t20worldcup2026 pic.twitter.com/955UO4nteV
— SAR | PK& PB (@sidhureddy2705) February 13, 2026
A tribute to #BabarAzam𓃵 . pic.twitter.com/LU4cyT8G5E
— Khurram Shahzad 🇵🇰 (@skhurrams20) February 13, 2026
Australia vs Zimbabwe met for the 4th time in T20Is today.
Head-to-Head Records Now
Australia Wins: 2
Zimbabwe Wins: 2
Their first-ever T20I encounter took place at the 2007 T20 World Cup, where Zimbabwe shocked Australia with a memorable five-wicket victory. From Cape Town to Colombo, Zimbabwe have consistently risen to the occasion, proving their ability to challenge and overcome one of cricket’s traditional powerhouses on the global stage.
