Day 3 of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 delivered a bit of everything, a historic innings at Eden Gardens, a one-sided chase in Colombo, and a run-fest at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Scotland registered their first points of the tournament in emphatic fashion by becoming the first Associate Member nation to cross the 200-run mark at a T20 World Cup as they brushed Italy aside.
Oman meanwhile were bowled out for just 103 in Colombo as Zimbabwe's pace attack ran through their top order before the batting order chased the target down with eight wickets to spare. The final game of the day saw South Africa pile on 213/4 against Canada in Ahmedabad. In response, Canada only managed 156/8, falling short by 57 runs.
Overall, it was a day shaped by explosive starts, ruthless spells and a few individual performances that stood out from the rest. Here's a look at the top performers from Day 3 of the T20 World Cup 2026:
1) George Munsey (Scotland)
If Scotland's record-breaking total needed a launchpad, George Munsey provided it in emphatic style. The left-handed opener smashed 84 off 54 balls, setting the tone for what would become a historic innings at Eden Gardens. Munsey dealt almost exclusively in boundaries, striking 13 fours and two sixes while batting at a strike-rate of 155.55.
He dominated the powerplay and kept the pressure on the Italian bowlers well into the middle overs before his innings finally ended in the 14th over when he picked out the man at long-on. By then, the damage had already been done.
2) Michael Leask (Scotland)
If Munsey laid the foundation, Michael Leask supplied the fireworks at the death. Walking in late, the Scotland all-rounder produced a blistering 22 off just five balls, smashing two fours and two sixes to finish with a jaw-dropping strike-rate of 440. It was his late surge that pushed Scotland beyond the 200-run barrier and into the record books.
Leask wasn't done there. He returned with the ball to rip through the Italian middle order, finishing with outstanding figures of 4/17, a performance that earned him the Player of the Match award.
3) Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe)
Zimbabwe's dominance in Colombo was built on a ruthless new-ball spell from Blessing Muzarabani. The tall pacer struck with his very first ball of the match, removing Oman opener Jatinder Singh. He followed that up by dismissing Aamir Kaleem, caught at third man in the fourth over, and then rounded off a devastating burst by sending back Karan Sonavale in the same over.
Muzarabani's spell of 3/16 inside the powerplay effectively ended the contest before it could properly begin.
4) Aiden Markram (South Africa)
South Africa's captain Aiden Markram looked in imperious touch in Ahmedabad, anchoring the innings with a fluent 59 off 32 balls against Canada. Markram's knock was built almost entirely on boundary-hitting, as he struck 10 fours and one six, accounting for more than half of South Africa's 19 fours in the innings.
He brought up his half-century off just 28 balls and was only stopped by a stunning catch from Dilon Heyliger, who plucked one out of the air right on the boundary rope to finally bring Markram's stay to an end.
Notable Mentions
Ben Manenti (Italy)
In a tough chase for Italy, Ben Manenti provided a rare bright spot. The all-rounder showcased an impressive range of strokes during his 31-ball stay and made history by becoming the first Italian batter to score a half-century (52) at a T20 World Cup. He reached the milestone in just 29 balls, finishing with five fours and one six, offering a glimpse of promise even in defeat.
Navneet Dhaliwal (Canada)
For Canada, Navneet Dhaliwal once again stood tall against elite opposition. The top-order batter had already etched his name into history as his country's first T20 World Cup half-centurion back in 2024, when he scored 61 off 44 balls against the USA.
He went one better this time around, emerging as Canada's lone resistance scoring 64 from just 49 balls against a formidable Proteas attack, underlining his importance at the top of the order.
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