Mumbai, February 23: In an exciting clash at Wankhede Stadium, Zimbabwe is set to face West Indies in the T20 World Cup 2026 today. Zimbabwe’s captain, Sikandar Raza, won the toss and elected to bowl first, inviting the Caribbean team to bat. Both teams made one change to their playing XI.
After winning the toss, Raza stated, “We would like to bowl first. Historically, this ground has been better for chasing. We want to give our fast bowlers a chance to make an early impact. Richard Ngarava has replaced Masakadza in the team. It’s an honor to play against a champion team on such a famous ground.”
On the other hand, West Indies captain expressed, “If we had won the toss, we might have opted to bowl first as well. Our record on this ground has been quite impressive, but we need to perform well in this match.” Romario Shepherd returns to the team, while Roston Chase has been dropped.
Zimbabwe has had a remarkable performance in the group stage, pulling off significant upsets by defeating Australia and Sri Lanka under Raza’s captaincy. Brian Bennett has been a consistent run-scorer, amassing 175 runs in three matches, including an unbeaten 63 against Sri Lanka. Raza has also contributed significantly with both bat and ball.
Blessing Muzarabani has been Zimbabwe’s standout bowler, taking nine wickets in three matches. The team will be looking for a strong performance from their leading fast bowler against West Indies.
For West Indies, the tournament has been impressive so far, with Shai Hope making a mark as both captain and batsman, scoring 155 runs in four matches. Shimron Hetmyer has also been in good form, scoring 134 runs at a strike rate of 159. In bowling, Jason Holder and Shamarh Brooks have both taken seven wickets, while Gudakesh Motie has effectively controlled runs during the middle overs.
West Indies Playing XI: Brandon King, Shai Hope (wicketkeeper), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd, Matthew Ford, Akil Hossain, Gudakesh Motie, Shamarh Joseph.
Zimbabwe Playing XI: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wicketkeeper), Ryan Burl, Sikandar Raza (captain), Tashinga Musekiwa, Tony Munyonga, Dion Myers, Brad Evans, Graham Cremer, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
