Zimbabwe secured a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Oman in the ninth match of the ICC T20 World Cup, played in Colombo on Monday.
Oman batted first but struggled against a disciplined Zimbabwe attack, being bowled out for just 103 runs on the fifth ball of the final over.
Vinay Shukla top-scored for Oman with 28 runs, while Sufyan Mahmood contributed 25. Zimbabwe’s bowlers dominated, with Mozarabani, Richard Ngarava, and Brad Evans each claiming three wickets.
In reply, Zimbabwe chased down the target efficiently in the 14th over, losing only two wickets. Brian Bennett led the charge with a well-made 48, supported by Brendan Taylor’s 31, guiding their team to a comfortable victory.
Earlier in the day, Scotland displayed a commanding performance against Italy in the tournament opener. Scotland posted a formidable 207 for four in their innings. Italy struggled in response, being bowled out for 134 runs in the 17th over, handing Scotland a 73-run victory.
The results mark strong starts for Zimbabwe and Scotland in the group stages, boosting their confidence as the T20 World Cup intensifies.
Earlier, Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza opted to field first against Oman in the men’s T20 World Cup match at the SSC in Colombo. Both teams had arrived in Sri Lanka early to acclimatise to the conditions ahead of the tournament.
It is worth mentioning here that Zimbabwe return to the T20 World Cup after missing the previous edition in the West Indies and the United States. Zimbabwe reached the Super 12 stage in the 2022 tournament but fell short in the qualifiers for the 2024 edition. Zimbabwe qualified alongside Namibia, with Brian Bennett finishing as the tournament’s top run-scorer, while Brad Evans and Richard Ngarava were among the leading wicket-takers.
