AUS vs ZIM

2:54 PM local time and IST: Zimbabwe move to second in the Group B points table! They deserve this win! They outplayed Australia in all three departments today and looked the sharper team. Suddenly, Australia look like the team in trouble, with their next game against co-hosts Sri Lanka, becoming extremely important, in terms of qualifying for the Super 8s! But now, it's time to shift focus and follow what's happening right here, between Canada and the UAE, in New Delhi. This is Pradeep and Bidipto, taking your leave. Keep following Sportskeeda! 

Sikandar Raza [Zimbabwe captain]: "(On his fitness) I've been here before, this is not the first time it's happening to me in Sri Lanka. But thankfully, it's just cramps. Very happy, and extremely proud of the younger brothers in the team! I watched the guys from outside, and sensed their seriousness to win this game. It was amazing! I felt that at the halfway stage in the 1st innings, 70-odd for 1 was a good score. Those calling for 190, well, we didn't agree. Had we targeted 190, we could be all out for 140! Brian Bennett was excellent! He held the innings together and let us get to around 170. We have 13 able bodies right now, I went down with cramps and Graeme Cremer has a split webbing, but, he is fine. We will refresh, and get ready for the next game, which is most important for Zimbabwe!" 

Travis Head [Australia captain]: "(On the decision to bowl first) We felt it was a good surface and perhaps a little tacky early on, but expected it to play fairly evenly across both innings — and that’s how it turned out. Even though we took only a couple of wickets up front, we believed 180 was slightly under par on a wicket that looked tougher in the first innings. It actually came on better later, but we lost wickets at key moments and put ourselves under pressure.(On the bowling effort) Zimbabwe played well, especially having wickets in hand towards the end. If you had offered us that target at the toss, given how the pitch behaved, we probably would have taken it. You can always look back at an over here or there and think about changes, but overall we felt we had them to a chaseable score.(On the run chase and early setbacks) Losing wickets in the powerplay hurt us. The message in the middle was that it was still a good batting wicket, but we had already put ourselves behind the game. Zimbabwe bowled well and kept the pressure on, which pushed the required rate up. We built a partnership in the middle overs, but left ourselves with too much to do at the end. That’s how T20 cricket goes sometimes.(On the tournament situation and mindset) We’ve been in tough spots before. Injuries and tournament pressure are part of the journey, and this group has navigated that successfully in the past. The focus now is on sticking to our blueprint, maintaining confidence in the dressing room, and winning the next two games to put ourselves back in control."

Blessing Muzarabani is the Player of the Match! Here's what he has to say: "(On whether this was his best spell) Yes, it’s definitely up there as one of my best spells. I was bowling against some of the best players in the world, so to see it come off the way it did was very satisfying. (On adapting to conditions and execution) The boundary dimensions were in my favour, and the surface was quite slow, so it was about adjusting quickly and hitting the right lengths. I mixed it up with yorkers and hard lengths depending on what was working on the day. Being tall, nailing the yorker consistently can be challenging, but you focus on execution and back your strengths. (On stepping up without a senior partner) We did miss Rich, but Brad Evans stepped in brilliantly and bowled really well. It was a complete team effort — everyone contributed when it mattered, and that made the performance even more special. (On beating Australia and looking ahead) It’s always sweet to beat a side like Australia, but what matters more is progressing in the tournament. The focus now shifts to the next game and making sure we continue this momentum."

2:37 PM local time and IST: Zimbabwe win by 23 runs with 3 balls to spare! 

Brian Bennett 64* (56) | Blessing Muzarabani - 4/17 (4)
Matt Renshaw 65 (44) | Cameron Green - 1/6 (1.1)

WHAT. A. PERFORMANCE. ZIMBABWE, YOU BEAUTY! 

They needed wickets. The first over wasn't the best. But, come the second over, and things changed! Wickets kept falling. One, two, three and four and not even the first six overs were done! Brad Evans and Blessing Muzarabani simply breathed fire!

Then came a decent stand of over 50 runs between Glenn Maxwell and Matt Renshaw. In that period, the Australians hoped for resurrection. But, Maxwell continued to struggle in the humidity, much like the Zimbabwe skipper, Sikandar Raza, who was on and off the field due to cramps!

But, when Maxwell was bowled by Ryan Burl, Renshaw decided to take matters in his own hands. He brought up an impressive half-century, but unfortunately for him, just kept running out of partners!

The highlight of the innings - the stunning two-handed diving catch by Tobny Munyonga at deep mid-wicket to dismiss Ben Dwarshuis! Had he not taken that, it would be four for sure, if not six! And, changed the course of the game! 

Towards the end, it was all Zimbabwe, as Renshaw's fight came to an end and Evans managed to close things out brilliantly, with Muzarabani! 

A special mention to Wellington Masakadza, who bowled four overs through the middle, on the trot, and kept the runs in check. 

As for Australia, a massive reality check! Massive! They have all to do now, considering their list of injuries, and, this shock result! Their ship never quite got sailing today, it has to be said! 

19.3 Brad Evans to Matthew Kuhnemann, RUN-OUT! APPEAL FOR A RUN-OUT! Full and angling into the stumps. Kuhnemann swings, and misses, lobs up straight back at Evans off the pad. Takes the catch, Evans helps it on to the stumps as Kuhnemann was wandering outside the crease.

Replay comes up, shows Kuhnemann is well short and it's all over. ZIMBABWE STUN AUSTRALIA AGAIN IN A T20 WORLD CUP! What a thrilling win this for Zimbabwe, they remain undefeated in Group B and Australia lose their first game of this World Cup. The teammates are ecstatic in the dugout as they all run in to celebrate.

19.1 Brad Evans to Nathan Ellis, FOUR! Good start to the over. Length delivery on the middle and off, Ellis swings, finds the inside edge and past the keeper, races away to the ropes.

Final over of the match! Sikandar Raza is in the dugout, but, Blessing Muzarabani has taken 100 T20I wickets now! Zimbabwe are on the verge of doing something spectacular! 

18.6 Blessing Muzarabani to Adam Zampa, OUT! TIMBER! Muzarabani turning it on for Zimbabwe, what a game he's had. Full toss, angling into the leg-stump. Zampa walking across to clip and misses, rattles the leg-stump and Zimbabwe are on the verge again.

18.5 Blessing Muzarabani to Adam Zampa, length delivery outside the off-stump. Zampa throws his bat at it, finds the outside edge to third-man. Cremer gets around, fumbles and they get back for the brace.