Buoyant Zimbabwe ready for Oman in T20 World Cup 2026

Zimbabwe step into the T20 World Cup spotlight on Monday with confidence high and momentum building as they take on Oman in a Group B clash at Colombo’s Sinhalese Sports Club.

Led by all-round talisman Sikandar Raza, Zimbabwe are back on the global stage after missing the previous edition, and they’ll be eager to announce their return with a statement win. The squad blends experience with youthful spark, with familiar names like Brendan Taylor joined by breakout star Brian Bennett, who has rapidly become one of the team’s most exciting prospects.

Just 22, Bennett played a starring role in Zimbabwe’s qualification campaign, lighting up home crowds with three half-centuries and a century. His purple patch continued in a tri-series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka late last year, and his fearless strokeplay could again be central to Zimbabwe’s plans.

Zimbabwe will be mindful of the bigger picture in Group B, with a daunting showdown against Australia looming next. A strong start against Oman, therefore, is firmly on their agenda. Memories of their famous upset win over Pakistan at the 2022 T20 World Cup still linger, and the team will hope to channel that same underdog energy.

Oman, however, are no strangers to punching above their weight. Making their fourth appearance at the T20 World Cup, the Associate nation has already tasted victory on the big stage, including a memorable win over Ireland on debut in 2016. They arrive in Sri Lanka brimming with belief after an impressive qualifying campaign.

Captain Jatinder Singh will open the batting, supported by vice-captain and wicketkeeper Vinayak Shukla. Oman’s bowling attack, featuring Jiten Ramanandi, Sufyan Mehmood and Nadeem Khan, has been a major weapon and could test Zimbabwe’s top order.

Jatinder himself appears back to full fitness after an early injury scare in the Sri Lanka camp. A half-century in a warm-up win over Zimbabwe boosted confidence, with the skipper insisting his side is ready for the challenge. “We know this is a tough group, but we want to play fearless and positive cricket,” he said.

There is added intrigue after Oman edged Zimbabwe in a recent warm-up match, chasing down a stiff target with authority. While Jatinder believes that result offers a psychological edge, Raza has played it down, stressing that warm-ups were about preparation rather than results.

The match also marks the return of Graeme Cremer to Zimbabwe’s T20 setup, ending a seven-year absence and reuniting him with long-time teammates Raza and Taylor – a nostalgic boost for the African side.

At the toss, Zimbabwe opted to bowl first, hoping to exploit early conditions under Colombo’s heat. Both teams arrived early in Sri Lanka to acclimatise, and with underdogs already making noise in the tournament, the stage is set for a lively contest.

As the T20 World Cup continues to tease upsets and surprises, Zimbabwe and Oman arrive with a point to prove – and plenty of firepower to make things interesting.