In a stunning upset at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka suffered a shocking 6-wicket defeat to Zimbabwe in the T20 World Cup 2026 on Thursday. Chasing 179, Zimbabwe cruised home with 3 balls to spare, losing just 4 wickets. Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka didn’t mince words post-match, pinning the blame squarely on his bowlers’ poor showing.
Shanaka admitted the bowling plans were straightforward but execution fell flat. ‘We wanted early wickets with the ball, but we didn’t get a good start. New bowlers need time to gel, but I’m not making excuses. We could have bowled better. I tried some gambles that didn’t pay off,’ he said candidly.
Despite the loss, Shanaka praised openers Pathum Nissanka and Pavan Rathnayake for their fiery contributions. Nissanka smashed 62 off 41 balls, while Rathnayake blazed 44 off 25, including three fours and two sixes, helping Sri Lanka post 178 for 7.
Zimbabwe’s chase was anchored by Brian Bennett’s unbeaten 63 off 48 and skipper Sikandar Raza’s brisk 45 off 26. Both teams had already qualified for the Super 8s, but this result stings for the hosts. Shanaka’s honest assessment signals a need for introspection ahead of tougher challenges.