How Zimbabwe wrote their redemption song

Sikandar Raza (Pic Credit: Raza's Insta Handle)

For Zimbabwe cricket, not qualifying for the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup was a sobering setback. When Zimbabwe were told, they would have to begin the next qualifying cycle at the bottom rung, in the sub-regional qualifier B in Kenya, captain Sikandar Raza confronted the moment head-on.

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“Either we feel sorry for ourselves or accept the reality that we are in this mess because of ourselves. And only we can get ourselves out of it,” he recalled after the rain-wrecked no-result against Ireland in the World Cup. The squad chose ownership over excuses. They mapped out a long-term plan, braced for criticism and committed to building a stronger cricketing culture. That work is now showing under lights and under pressure on the T20 World Cup stage. Zimbabwe are unbeaten, having beaten Oman, stunned former champions Australia and then outlasted co-hosts Sri Lanka to surge into the Super 8s as Group B toppers. The statement win came first: Zimbabwe posted 169/2 against Australia and then bowled them out for 146, winning by 23 runs. A week later, they chased down 179 against Sri Lanka, finishing at 182/4 with three balls to spare. At the heart of this transformation is head coach Justin Sammons. Quiet and unassuming, he has focused on clarity — sharper roles, braver selections, and a belief that Zimbabwe can dictate terms, not merely hang on. Zimbabwe’s rise has been powered by youth and experience in equal measure. Twenty-two-year- old opener Brian Bennett has been the breakout. He has stayed unbeaten in the tournament, with scores of 48* (vs Oman), 64* (vs Australia) and 63* (vs Sri Lanka), giving Zimbabwe calm starts and a steady base. Bennett’s promise has travelled quickly. From Ruwa, near Harare, he worked his way through the system with the kind of singlemindedness that shows up in his batting: clear options, minimal fuss. Last year, he smashed Zimbabwe’s fastest Test century — a 97-ball hundred — against England at Trent Bridge. Bowling has been just as decisive. Blessing Muzarabani, the towering pacer, has led the fast-bowling surge with spells that have tilted games, including 3/16 against Oman and a career-best 4/17 against Australia. And 39-year-old leg-spinner Graeme Cremer has added control and craft in the middle overs, completing a remarkable return after years away from international cricket. Zimbabwe’s challenges get steeper now. The Super 8s places them alongside India, West Indies and South Africa. But Raza is looking at it the only way this team seems to know: one game at a time. “We take one game at a time. Everybody loves an underdog story,” he had said after the Sri Lanka win. “One of the goals we set out for was to bring more respect for our country. To see people now taking notice of Zimbabwe and speaking about us in a respectful manner is humbling. Hopefully, we can keep writing our own history so that when people talk about Zimbabwe cricket, they show a bit more respect,” Raza said.

Get the latest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 updates, including the full schedule, teams, live scores, points table, and keyseries stats such as top run-scorers and wicket-takers.

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