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2 min readFeb 19, 2026 01:04 PM IST
Zimbabwe skipper Sikander Raza acknowledges the support from travelling fans in Pallekele. (PHOTO: AP)
Zimbabwe’s journey into the Super 8 stage of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has emerged as one of the most inspiring stories of the tournament, with the Sikandar Raza-led qualifying along with Sri Lanka from Group B.
The defining moment came in Colombo, where Zimbabwe stunned Australia with a spirited 23‑run victory. That result proved decisive, pushing the 2021 champions to the brink of elimination. A combination of other results and rain abandoning matches eventually sealed Zimbabwe’s progression, underlining the unpredictable drama of tournament cricket.
“As much as we have achieved, but it’s just a tick in the box. It’s not the whole box that we set out for. So the group stays focused, the group stays committed, and the sacrifices we have to make for them, for the country and for the team and try and get the results, we’ll do that. There will be a small celebration, but we get ready for the next game because it’s just a tick in the box, like I said. It is not the only goal we set out for,” Raza said after qualification was confirmed, following the washout against Ireland.
The team will be playing in India for the first time since the 2016 T20 World Cup, where they played their group stage matches at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur. Their last match in India was against Afghanistan, which they lost by 59 runs.
The win helped Afghanistan qualify for the Super 10 stage of the tournament and eliminated Zimbabwe from moving through to the next round.
Current skipper Raza and spinner Wellington Masakadza were part of that side, which lost to Afghanistan and are expected to feature in the Super 8 matches at the ongoing World Cup.
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Zimbabwe will begin their Super 8 phase by taking on the West Indies in Mumbai on February 23. They will then travel to Chennai to face India on February 26 before playing their last Super 8 fixture against South Africa in New Delhi on March 1.
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