The 2026 World Cup saw its first major upset on Friday as 11th ranked Zimbabwe beat world no. 2 side and 2021 T20 World Cup champions Australia in Colombo. In scenes similar to that from the same encounter back in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, Zimbabwe celebrated jubilantly after securing a crucial win.
Opener Brian Bennett struck a patient 64 off 56 balls to guide Zimbabwe to a total of 169/2. Australia were meek in the chase as they were bundled out for 146 with pacers Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans picking four wickets and three wickets respectively. Muzarabani, for his spell of 4/17, which was also his career-best performance, was adjudged the Player of the Match.
The defeat means that Australia are yet to beat Zimbabwe in T20 World Cups. The last time the two sides faced-off in a T20 World Cup match was in Cape Town in the aformentioned match. Australia were restricted to a small score of 138/9 as Elton Chigumbura bowled a spell of 3/20 and Gary Brent picked two wickets for 19 runs. Brendon Taylor's unbeaten 60 in 45 balls steered Zimbabwe to victory in 19.5 overs with five wickets remaining.
Here is a throwback to some other unexpected wins from the history of T20 World Cups
1. USA beat Pakistan, 2024
T20 World Cup new comers USA, also the co-hosts of the 2024 edition, grabbed headlines as they upstaged Pakistan in a match played in Dallas. Batting first, Pakistan were restricted to a score of 159/7 as Nosthush Kenjige and Saurabh Netravalkar bowled spells of 3/30 and 2/18 respectively. Captain Monak Patel steered USA's chase with a half-century but they ended up with a score of 159, and the match ended in a tie. A Super Over followed.
Mohammad Amir bowled the Super Over for Pakistan and conceded 18 runs. Netravalkar was given the responsibility to deliver the Super Over for USA. The Indian-born pacer kept his cool and conceded just 13 runs to deliver a famous win for his side.
2. Scotland beat West Indies
In a first round tie between Scotland and West Indies played during the 2022 T20 World Cup in Hobart, Scotland stunned everyone by beating two-time champions West Indies. George Munsey's 66 in 53 balls guided the Scots to 160/5.
West Indies kept losing wickets at regular intervals in the run chase and were bowled out on 118. Mark Watt bowled a brilliant spell of 3/12 and was ably supported by Brad Wheel and Michael Leask, both of whom picking two wickets each.
3. Netherlands beat England, 2009 & 2014
Netherlands pulled off one of the most-stunning upsets in T20 World Cup history when they beat England at Lord's in 2009. England batted first and scored 162/5 as Luke Wright scored 71 from 49 balls and Ravi Boparra hit 46 from 34 deliveries. The Dutch lost three early wickets in the chase, but Tom de Grooth came to his side's rescue with an innings of 49 from just 30 deliveries.
He was well supported by Peter Borren, who played a cameo of 30 in just 25 balls. The match went into the final over and it was anyone's to win with the Netherlands needing seven runs off it. All-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate and Edgar Schiferli got those runs needed as Sturat Broad missed a series of run-out chances in the final over.
The Dutch repeated a similar feat in the 2014 World Cup as well. Netherlands batted first this time around and scored what seemed like a paltry score of 133/5. Stephan Myburgh and Wesley Barresi scored crucial runs for the Men in Orange.
England suffered a dramatic collapse in the chase and were bundled out on 88. Mudassar Bukhari and Logan van Beek picked three wickets each as Netherlands rounded off yet another win over their European rivals.
4. Netherlands beat South Africa, 2022
Netherlands pulled off a third shock win at T20 World Cups when they beat South Africa in the 2024 edition. The Dutch scored 158/4 thanks to the efforts of Colin Ackermann, Tom Cooper, Max O'Dowd and Stephan Myburgh. Brandon Glover's spell of 3/9 along with wickets by Fred Klaassen and Bas de Leede ensured that South Africa could only manage 145/8 and were beaten by 13 runs.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
