In a commanding display at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, Zimbabwe steamrolled Oman by eight wickets in the eighth match of the T20 World Cup 2026 qualifiers on Monday. Opting to bowl first after losing the toss, Zimbabwe’s bowlers dismantled Oman’s batting lineup, bundling them out for a paltry 103 in 19.5 overs.
Oman’s innings crumbled early, losing their first wicket at just 7 runs as skipper Jatinder Singh departed for 5, including a solitary boundary. The middle order collapsed spectacularly, with five wickets tumbling by the 27-run mark. Vinayak Shukla and Sufyan Mehmood then stitched a gritty 42-run stand for the sixth wicket off 43 balls, offering brief resistance. Shukla smashed 28 off 21 balls with four fours, while Mehmood ground out 25 from 39 deliveries, featuring two boundaries. Nadeem Khan chipped in with 20, but it wasn’t enough.
Zimbabwe’s pace attack was relentless. Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, and Brad Evans each claimed three wickets, with Sikandar Raza picking up one. Chasing a modest target, Zimbabwe raced home in just 13.3 overs. Openers Divinash Madyumani and Brian Bennett laid the foundation with a brisk 30-run stand in 3.1 overs. Madyumani fell for 21 off 11 balls, bludgeoning five fours, and Dion Myers followed for a golden duck.
At 30 for 2, Bennett took charge alongside Brendan Taylor, forging an unbeaten 68-run partnership off 56 balls. Taylor retired out after 31 off 30 balls with three fours, while Bennett remained not out on a blistering 48 from 36 balls, laced with seven boundaries. Sufyan Mehmood grabbed both wickets for Oman, conceding just 12 runs in three overs, but it was mere consolation. Zimbabwe’s dominant win sends a strong message in the tournament.