Zimbabwe in thrilling win over Sri Lanka in T20 World Cup

Zimbabwe continued their dream run at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup with a thrilling six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka, chasing down 179 in their final Group B match to finish unbeaten and top the standings with seven points from four games.

Led by captain Sikandar Raza and the in-form Brian Bennett, Zimbabwe held their nerve in a tense finish to seal their place in the Super 8 stage with momentum firmly on their side.

After being put in to bat, Sri Lanka national cricket team posted 178 for 7 in their 20 overs. Pathum Nissanka led the charge with a fluent 62 off 41 balls, continuing his strong form from the previous match against Australia. Pavan Rathnayake added a brisk 44 from 25 deliveries, but Sri Lanka struggled to accelerate in the middle overs.

At 100 for 1 after 12 overs, the hosts looked poised to push toward a 200-plus total. However, disciplined bowling from Graeme Cremer and Brad Evans, who shared four wickets between them, slowed the momentum significantly. Ryan Burl also made a key contribution, conceding just 16 runs in two overs and dismissing Kusal Mendis.

Although Sri Lanka managed 36 runs in the final six overs, a quiet period between overs 13 and 17, where they scored only 42 runs, ultimately limited them to what proved to be a competitive but chaseable total.

In reply, Zimbabwe national cricket team approached the chase with composure. Bennett once again anchored the innings, extending his remarkable run in the tournament without being dismissed, while Raza provided impetus at the death.

The match went down to the final over after Zimbabwe lost two late wickets, including that of Raza, leaving them needing eight runs. Tony Munyonga swung the momentum decisively by smashing a six off the first ball from Maheesh Theekshana. Bennett then fittingly struck the winning runs to cap off another clinical chase.

With four matches played, seven points secured and an unbeaten record intact, Zimbabwe advance to the Super 8 stage as the only undefeated side in Group B, carrying significant confidence into the next phase of the tournament.