T20 World Cup 2026: Brian Bennett Shines as Zimbabwe Crush Oman by 8 Wickets

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Colombo | 

In a clinical display of power and precision, Zimbabwe secured a dominant 8-wicket victory over Oman in the eighth match of the T20 World Cup 2026. Played at the historic Singhalese Sports Club (SSC), the match was a lopsided affair as Zimbabwe’s bowling unit dismantled the Oman batting lineup, followed by a swift chase led by Brian Bennett.

The Bowling Blitz: Oman Collapses Early

After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, Oman’s innings never gained momentum. The African nation’s pace trio—Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, and Brad Evans—exploited the conditions perfectly.

Oman lost their captain, Jatinder Singh, with just 7 runs on the board. The situation worsened rapidly as the scoreboard read a dismal 27/5 within the first few overs. A brief recovery followed through a 42-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Vinayak Shukla (28) and Sufyan Mehmood (25), but the resistance ended quickly once the stand was broken. Oman was eventually bundled out for 103 in 19.5 overs.

Key Bowling Stats:

• Richard Ngarava: 3 wickets

• Blessing Muzarabani: 3 wickets

• Brad Evans: 3 wickets

The Chase: Bennett and Taylor Anchor the Win

Chasing a modest target of 104, Zimbabwe came out with aggressive intent. Opener Tadiwanashe Marumani provided a spark with 21 runs off 11 balls, hitting five boundaries. Despite a momentary hiccup where Zimbabwe lost two quick wickets (Marumani and Dion Myers) with the score at 30, Brian Bennett ensured there were no further alarms.

Bennett played a composed and unbeaten knock of 48 off 36 balls, featuring seven boundaries. He was ably supported by the legendary Brendan Taylor, who contributed a steady 31 runs before retiring out to give the team its final push. Zimbabwe reached the target in just 13.3 overs, significantly boosting their Net Run Rate.

Oman’s Struggle Continues

For Oman, Sufyan Mehmood was the only standout performer, taking both Zimbabwe wickets while conceding only 12 runs in his 3 overs. However, the lack of runs from the top order left the bowlers with too little to defend against a motivated Zimbabwe side.

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