Colombo: Zimbabwe rode on collective brilliance to pull off the first big upset of the ongoing T20 World Cup, stunning injury-ravaged former champions Australia by 23 runs here on Friday.
This was only the second time that the African nation defeated the traditional heavyweights in the format, having last beaten them back in the 2007 edition of the showpiece.
Riding on opener Brian Bennett’s unbeaten 64 and useful contributions from other top-order batters, Zimbabwe posted a challenging 169 for 2 after Australia, who were without some of their front-line bowlers, invited them to bat.
The lower-ranked side then bowled Australia out for 146 in 19.3 overs on a sluggish pitch to register a famous win.
In the 2007 edition of the same tournament, Zimbabwe, then led by Prosper Utseya, had beaten Australia by five wickets with one ball to spare in a low-scoring match in Cape Town.
Pacer Blessing Muzarabani returned figures of 4/17, while Brad Evans (3/23), Wellington Masakadza (1/36) and Ryan Burl (1/9) also delivered with the ball for Zimbabwe.
It was a disaster for Australia in their pursuit of 170 as they suffered a top-order collapse and were reduced to 29 for 4 in 4.3 overs with Josh Inglis (8), Travis Head (17), Cameron Green (0) and Tim David (0) dismissed cheaply.
Matt Renshaw played a lone hand for Australia with a 44-ball 65 while Glenn Maxwell made 31.
From 38 for 4 at the end of Powerplay, Australia reached 67 for 4 at the halfway mark with 103 runs needed for a win.
Maxwell and Renshaw then stitched a fifth-wicket stand of 77 runs off 9.5 overs to bring Australia back.
But Ryan Burl broke the partnership as Maxwell inside-edged one onto the stumps.
Australia needed 56 runs from the final five overs but Marcus Stoinis, who earlier left the field after being hit during the Zimbabwe innings, got out soon for 6.
Bennett took a stunning catch near the boundary to dismiss Ben Dwarshuis (7) for Brad Evan’s third wicket of the day.
The target became 34 from 12 balls but Australia lost Renshaw and Adam Zampa (2) in the 19th over, and Matthew Kuhnemann (0) was run out in the final over.
Earlier, Zimbabwe’s top-order batters fired collectively against a depleted Australia bowling attack to post a challenging 169 for 2.
Bennett struck seven fours from the 56 balls he faced and laid the perfect foundation for Zimbabwe for a big total, reaching 125 for one at the end of the 15th over. But Australia came back in the death overs, just conceding 44 runs in the final five overs.
Wicket-keeper Tadiwanashe Marumani and Ryan Burl chipped in with 35 each while captain Sikandar Raza remained not out on 25 off 13 balls.
With wickets in hand, Zimbabwe could have pressed the accelerator much earlier and scored more. There was just one six in the innings.
In the absence of the likes of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, the Australian pace-bowling attack seemed to be lacking sting initially and the Zimbabwe bowlers capitalised on that, only to fumble in the end.
Adam Zampa was handled very nicely by the Zimbabwean batters, as he remained wicket-less, returning figures of 0/31 from his four overs.
The highlight of the Zimbabwe innings, after they were sent in to bat, was the 61-run stand for the opening wicket between Marumani and Bennett off 7.3 overs.
Marumani hit two fours off Ben Dwarshuis in the third over and three boundaries off Glenn Maxwell in the fourth over after a sedate start.
Bennett joined the party with two boundaries in the fifth over bowled by Matthew Kuhnemann, taking Zimbabwe to a decent 47 for no loss at the end of power play.
Zimbabwe were 61 for one and they moved to 79 for 1 at the halfway stage. They added 46 runs in the next five overs, reaching 125 for one at the 15th over mark.
Pacer Marcus Stoinis left the field in the 16th over, holding his hand in pain while trying a return catch of Burl.
From a full toss, Burl hit straight back at Stoinis, who tried to get hold of the ball. Stoinis grimaced in pain and immediately called out the physio, before leaving the field.
Cameron Green completed the unfinished 16th over and it turned to be lucky, with Burl getting out in the last ball.
