Key events
1st over: Zimbabwe 4-0 (Bennett 4, Marumani 0) Ben Dwarshuis makes a fine start on his return to the XI as he has the ball moving off the deck and he carves through Brian Bennett several times. Australia are excited by a noise after a delivery that jags off the seam and send a review upstairs. That is quickly declined and Bennett responds with two runs through point.
Zimbabwe openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani are on their way out to the middle and hoping to set the tone for the underdogs who are facing their own injury concerns. Ben Dwarshuis is back in the XI and has the white ball in hand as we’re about to get under way in Colombo …
Zimbabwe have also made a fast start to their T20 World Cup campaign as Blessing Muzarabani (3 for 16), Richard Ngarava (3 for 17) and Brad Evans (3 for 18) ripped through Oman.
Steve Smith was widely considered unlucky – at least by me – to miss out on being part of Australia’s squad for this T20 World Cup. But he is set to join up with the squad this evening, according to stand-in skipper Travis Head, after Mitch Marsh suffered the most unfortunate of injuries.
Australia are one from one in the tournament so far after Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa sealed the win over Ireland. Read all about it or watch the highlights below.
Zimbabwe XI
Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza (capt), Ryan Burl, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Graeme Cremer, Blessing Muzarabani.
Sikandar Raza is happy to bat first on what he expects to be a consistent surface that might slow up as the sun comes out and the game drags on. Zimbabwe have brought in an extra spinner but Brendon Taylor, who hit the winning runs in the famous victory over Australia back in 2007, has been ruled out of the tournament.
Australia XI
Australia: Travis Head (capt), Josh Inglis (wk), Cameron Green, Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Renshaw, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Matt Kuhnemann.
Cooper Connolly and Xavier Bartlett drop out of the XI with Tim David and Ben Dwarshuis coming in. Steve Smith is yet to join up with the group after all, but Head says – with a hint of uncertainty and a laugh – that he will arrive tonight. The Australia stand-in skipper seems typically relaxed.
We’re used to a bit of chaos early in a tournament. We just have to put another good performance in. I think given the conditions we did really well [against Ireland]. We did it in a different way to what we normally do but today is a different pitch and we’ll have to adapt again.
Australia win the toss and elect to bowl
Sikandar Raza calls tails but the coin drops on heads and Travis Head takes no time to send Zimbabwe in to bat first. Changes coming for both sides.
Australia and Zimbabwe have minimal history of meeting in T20Is with only two clashes since Prosper Utseya’s side pulled off the shock of the 2007 T20 World Cup. Normal service was resumed when Australia beat Zimbabwe convincingly in a pair of matches in Harare in 2018, with the first win set up by Aaron Finch’s fireworks. The Australia captain hammered 172 from 76 balls in a devastating knock that still stands as the second highest by a men’s batter in the international format.
Preamble
Martin Pegan
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the T20 World Cup group B match between Australia and Zimbabwe in Colombo. Both sides made winning starts to their campaign with the undermanned Australia brushing aside Ireland by 67 runs, and Zimbabwe making even lighter work of Oman in an eight-wicket victory. But there is little margin for error from here with only the top two in each five-team group to progress to the Super Eight stage, and co-host Sri Lanka also likely to challenge for those pivotal places.
Australia captain Mitch Marsh is unlikely to be fit to face Zimbabwe after copping a painful blow to the, ahem, midriff in training ahead of the team’s T20 World Cup opener. Tim David is also expected to miss today’s game at R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium as a thin squad continues to teeter on the brink of an injury crisis. The absence of the heavy-hitting duo might help open the door for Zimbabwe to pull off what would be a huge upset though it remains to be seen whether Steve Smith is parachuted into the Australia XI after getting a late call-up to join the squad.
The two sides are at least somewhat unfamiliar to each other after not crossing paths in a global tournament or bilateral series since playing three ODIs in north Queensland in 2022. But Zimbabwe will be happy to look back further to the time when they stunned Australia at the first T20 World Cup way back in 2007.
Toss and confirmed teams will be coming up shortly – with first ball to be bowled at 4.30pm AEDT / 11am local in Colombo / 5.30am GMT – so please take the time to get in touch with your thoughts and predictions. Drop me an email or find me @martinpegan on Bluesky or X.