West Indies crush Zimbabwe in T20 World Cup Super Eight clash

West Indies thrashed Zimbabwe by 107 runs in the high-voltage Super Eight encounter of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Monday.

Chasing a daunting target of 255, Zimbabwe faltered under pressure and were bowled out for 147 in just 17.4 overs.

The steep run chase proved too much for the African side as wickets fell at regular intervals, derailing any hopes of a comeback.

Brad Evans fought valiantly with a top score of 43, while Devon Myers contributed 28 and captain Sikandar Raza added 27.

However, Zimbabwe’s batting collapse was evident as four players were dismissed without scoring.

Defending the total, Gudakesh Motie led the charge with an impressive four-wicket haul, while Akeal Hosein claimed three crucial scalps to dismantle the Zimbabwean lineup.

The emphatic victory strengthens the West Indies’ position in the Super Eight stage.

Earlier, the West Indies piled up a massive 254 for 6 against Zimbabwe.  

After winning the toss, Zimbabwe opted to field first in a bid to exploit early conditions.

However, their decision backfired as the West Indies batters unleashed a relentless assault, taking full advantage of the batting-friendly surface.

The Caribbean side amassed 254 runs for the loss of six wickets in their allotted 20 overs, setting Zimbabwe a daunting target of 255 — the highest total of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 so far against Zimbabwe.

Leading the charge was Shimron Hetmyer, who smashed 84 runs off just 34 balls, dismantling the bowling attack with fearless strokeplay.

Captain Rovman Powell provided crucial support with a brisk 59 off 35 deliveries.

Sherfane Rutherford added the finishing touches with an unbeaten 31 from 13 balls.

Earlier, Zimbabwe won the toss and decided to bowl first as Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza's decision underlined Zimbabwe’s intent to apply early pressure and capitalize on any scoreboard advantage during the chase.

Both teams entered the Super Eight phase unbeaten in the group stage, significantly raising the stakes of the encounter.

 Their flawless runs so far have added intrigue to the contest, with momentum and confidence running high in both camps.

Cricket analysts believe the Wankhede surface appears conducive to batting, offering good pace and carry.

However, the prospect of evening humidity and mounting pressure in a high-profile fixture could influence the game’s dynamics, particularly under lights.

Playing XIs

Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Dion Myers, Sikander Raza (c), Ryan Burl, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Graeme Cremer, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani
 
West Indies: Brandon King, Shai Hope (wk, c), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd, Matthew Forde, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph