1h agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 5:02amAustralia vs Zimbabwe live scoreboard
3m agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 6:46am
16th over – Stoinis returns for his third over
Stoinis back into the attack. He’s been the pick of the Australian bowlers today.
Burl heaves the first one into the leg side and picks up a single to start the over.
A terrific yorker from Stoinis, gets the ball to fly in between Bennett’s two feet and past leg stump. Not much you can do about that delivery.
Full toss from Stoinis as he misses on another yorker attempt, and Bennett picks up another single on the off side.
FOUR! Burl reads Stoinis’s slower ball and smacks it back over his head for another boundary. Terrific hitting that!
7m agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 6:42am
15th over – Zampa continues after drinks as Aussies hunt wickets
Australia desperately in need of some wickets here, otherwise things could get ugly.
Adam Zampa back into the attack. He’s got two overs left.
Starts with a quicker one, and Burl dabs it into the leg side for no run.
Two straight dots, another good delivery from Zampa, almost a yorker that’s dug out by Burl.
Zampa flights up the next one and Burl works it through the leg side for a single. They don’t seem to want to take on Zampa, which I don’t mind as a tactic.
FOUR! Much-needed boundary! It was quicker but not all that short, but Bennett rocks back and cuts it through the off side, bisecting the fielders inside the ring.
Bennett flicks Zampa through the leg side and brings up his half-century off 43 deliveries. Excellent stuff!
Burl finishes with another single, as Zimbabwe picks up another seven runs off that Zampa over.
15m agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 6:34am
14th over – Dwarshius back into the attack
Righto, seven overs to go, how many more can Zimbabwe get with nine wickets in hand?
10 an over gets them to 176 from here, which would be a great result.
Dwarshius back into the attack, starts with a slower one and Burl flicks him to fine leg for a single.
FOUR! Mid off up in the circle and Bennett cracks a length delivery down the ground for a boundary. It was a normal seam-up delivery that time from Dwarshius.
Dwarshius goes slower and Bennett reads it well, lofts it into the leg side and picks up a pair of runs. It seems like they’ve shifted gears here, I like it.
Bennett now has the most T20I runs of full-member sides at the age of 22 beating Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz.Â
He backs away and cracks the next one down and there’s a good bit of fielding from Maxwell that limits the batters to a single.
Dwarshius with another slower bouncer, and there’s a very belated wide call. Nothing going the Aussie’s way here! I think it’s the right call though.
Dwarshius goes fuller and Burl cracks him down to deep mid-on for another single.
Bennett backs away again and juuust gets to a slower delivery, picks up another two to end the over.
Zimbabwe going at 9.2 runs an over in the last five overs, and most importantly, they’ve got nine wickets in the shed. They’re a decent chance to get to 200 here if things break right.
19m agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 6:30am
13th over – Kuhnemann to bowl his third over
Matt Kuhnemann getting two in a row here, a rarity for the Aussie bowlers this afternoon.
BEATEN! Gets one to go on straight with the arm, and Burl’s swipe attempt is unsuccessful.
Kuhnemann gets straighter with the next delivery, and Burl works him through the leg side for a single and brings up the 100-run mark for Zimbabwe.
Kuhnemann stays over the wicket for Bennett, looking to cramp him up, and Bennett works him into the leg side for a single.
FOUR! Excellent shot from Burl, it’s a standing reverse lap shot, and he gets absolutely all of it over the in-field for a boundary. Zimbabwe continues to tick along.
Kuhnemann comes over the wicket and goes quicker at Burl’s pads and it’s a dot ball.
Burl flicks the next one off his pads for a single to end another good over, seven off it.
24m agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 6:25am
12th over – Burl makes his move as Ellis returns to the attack
Nathan Ellis and his variations are back.
Burl cracks the first ball through the off side and picks up another two runs.
I wonder when exactly Zimbabwe will begin their launch here?
FOUR! That’ll help! Ellis with a slower bouncer and Burl swivels into a pull shot and absolutely cracks it to the square leg boundary.
Ellis goes fuller and faster on the off-side and Burl mistimes an off-drive attempt. He’ll feel he’s missed out there.
FOUR MORE! BANG! He’s absolutely nailed the hell out of a back of the hand slower ball there, Burl, smacks it straight over Ellis’s head.
Ellis with a wide yorker, and this is given a wide, I reckon that was harsh. It looked like he’d snuck that one inside the train tracks, but replays show that it was actually wide. Excellent call from the umpire. Not a bad idea that from Ellis.
He comes around the wicket and Burl picks up a quick single with an off-drive. Good running again from the batters.
Good delivery from Ellis to end the over as Bennett can do nothing but awkwardly knock it back down the pitch.
28m agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 6:21am
11th over – Kuhnemann returns to the attack
Bennett flicks Kuhnemann’s first delivery down to midwicket for another single.
Zimbabwe ticking along nicely here at just under eight an over. They’ll back themselves to accelerate later if they’ve got wickets in hand.
Burl cuts away Kuhnemann’s next delivery and picks up another two to the man in the deep. Good running again.
Kuhnemann gets leg side and Burl again picks up another two, this time on the leg side.
He follows that up with a ho-hum single down to mid-on. The boundaries may not be coming, but Zimbabwe aren’t getting bogged down here.
Bennett reaches for the next delivery and unleashes an almighty slog and he’s lucky he’s not timed that, otherwise he’d be caught at deep mid-on. Instead, he picks up a single.
Burl flicks the final delivery into the leg side for a single and Zimbabwe picks up another seven runs off that over. They’re doing it easy right now.
33m agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 6:16am
10th over – Cam Green comes into the attack
Cam Green gets his first look at the Zimbabweans.
He’s around the wicket to the left-handed Burl, and starts with a leg bye as Burl doesn’t make contact on an attempted pull shot.
BEATEN! Back of a length from Green and it’s a cross-seamer again that leaves Bennett slightly and he’s beaten in his prod attempt.
A similar delivery to follow, but this time Bennett makes contact, picking up another single with a square drive.
Green gets fuller and straighter and Burl whips him off the pads for a single.
Zimbabwe continuing to just tick things over here, things in a bit of a holding pattern.
Green goes for a short delivery and it flies over Josh Inglis’s head, but he gets a glove on it to stop it from going for a boundary. Good running again, they’re able to pick up two. That one was well over Bennett’s head.
Bennett gives himself room with the next delivery and cracks it past point again and picks up a single.
CAUGHT BEHIND APPEAL! Green sends one down the leg side and Burl’s flick attempt is beaten. Inglis convinced again. Head again sends it upstairs.
Another dreadful review from Australia. Burl has missed that one by a country mile. I think we can put Josh Inglis in the Marnus category when it comes to reviews.
Australia all out of its reviews with 10 overs to go now. Thanks, Josh.
37m agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 6:12am
9th over – Zampa to continue after first wicket
Bennett drives Zampa down to mid-on and picks up another two, excellent running again from Zimbabwe.
Bennett now going at over a run a ball after his slow start.
He dabs Zampa’s next ball into the leg side and picks up another single.
Zampa gets his first look at the left-handed Burl.
LBW APPEAL! Burl goes for a reverse sweep but makes little contact. Zampa with a muted appeal, which is given not out.
Burl is able to work the next one through the leg side for a single.
Zampa goes shorter and Bennett tries to pull it away, but can’t quite make any solid contact, in the end probably lucky to not get bowled.
Zampa gives the next one a bit more air and Bennett square drives him nicely and picks up another couple of runs. Six runs off that over.
41m agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 6:08am
8th over continued – Ryan Burl arrives at the crease
Stoinis starts with a short delivery and Burl pulls it away for a single on the leg side.
A straight and full delivery from Stoinis and Bennett flicks him through midwicket for another two.
Goes for another bouncer, but this time it’s a wide. Handy runs for Zimbabwe. It’s important they don’t get bogged down.
Superb yorker to end the over! Bennett slips down as he tries to dig it out, but they’re able to run a quick single. Excellent over from Stoinis upon his return.
42m agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 6:08amCAUGHT! Stoinis removes Marumani!
Marcus Stoinis (17) celebrates the wicket of Tadiwanashe Marumani. (Getty Images)
A massive wicket for Australia and Marumani has got to go!
A cross-seamer from Stoinis grabs the edge of Marumani’s bat and this time the ball comfortably flies into Inglis’s gloves.
Tadiwanashe Marumani c Inglis b Stoinis 35 (21), FOW: 1-61
44m agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 6:05am
8th over – Stoinis returns for his second over
Marcus Stoinis back into the attack. Head searching for answers here.
Stoinis’s first over went for just three runs.
Mini-appeal off the first ball as Marumani completely mistimes a slog and it goes back to Stoinis, but pretty sure that’s bounced.
EDGED! FOUR! Stoinis gets a clear nick and it’s juuuuust too wide to the left of a diving Inglis and runs away to the boundary. Zimbabwe riding their luck right now!
48m agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 6:01am
7th over – Zampa to kick things off after drinks
A big moment in this innings now as Adam Zampa awaits. How Zimbabwe negotiates his overs will determine how many they’re able to get.
Zampa’s so good in these middle overs of a T20. Australia will hope he provides a breakthrough.
Starts with a flighted delivery on off stump and Bennett drives it straight to the man in the ring.
FOUR! Flighted again, this time a little wider outside off and Bennett drives it superbly. Times it perfectly and beats the man out in the deep as well!
That brings up the 50-run partnership off just 39 deliveries.Â
Zampa gets a little shorter and Bennett rocks back and cuts it away for a single to the off-side sweeper.
FOUR MORE! Poor delivery from Zampa! Drags it down and it’s on the leg side, and Marumani sweeps it away past the man who is inside the ring behind square.
BEATEN! That’s the quicker wrong-un and Marumani’s poke is well beaten. Excellent delivery.
Marumani ends the over with another sweep shot and picks up a single, 10 runs off Zampa’s first over.
53m agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 5:56am
6th over – Nathan Ellis comes into the attack
Nathan Ellis gets his first chance today, fresh off a career-best 4/12 in the tournament opener the other night.
FOUR! CRACK! Bennett’s starting to really get his eye in here. It’s a length delivery just a hair outside off from Ellis, and Bennett cracks him past a diving Maxwell at mid-off.
Ellis gets straighter and Bennett whips him away on the leg side for a single. This wicket looks pretty good so far.
Slower delivery from Ellis, well bowled, and Marumani can’t do much but defend it. Probably worth taking a little look here.
Marumani goes for a slog on the leg side and skies it wayyyyy up in the air, but it lands safely in the deep and they pick up another couple of runs.
PLAY AND MISS! Another good slower delivery from Ellis and Marumani is through a pull shot way too early, seven runs off the over with three dots.
So the powerplay ends with Zimbabwe 0-47. A very, very good start this.
58m agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 5:51am
5th over – Bennett breaks the shackles against Kuhnemann
Matthew Kuhnemann gets his crack in the powerplay. Kuhnemann was extremely good in Sri Lankan conditions this time last year.
FOUR! Bennett greets him with a lofted on drive, doesn’t quite time it, but gets enough power to get over the man at mid-on and it rolls away to the boundary.
That has to feel good for Bennett.
It’s a quicker full toss from Kuhnemann, and Bennett can’t beat the in-field with his cover drive. He’ll feel he’s missed out there.
The next one is slower and shorter and wider and Bennett’s got to reach for it, again mistimes it. Another missed chance. He’s now nine off 16.
FOUR MORE! Much better! Kuhnemann gets straighter and quicker and Bennett thumps him over midwicket for a boundary. A big pressure release there.
Bennett finishes with another sweep front of square for a single to end a third straight excellent over.
1h agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 5:47am
4th over – Marumani takes the attack to Maxwell
FOUR! What a shot! Marumani unfurls the reverse slog sweep with third man up, and gets absolutely all of it.
Zimbabwe won’t let Maxwell get set at all, great stuff.
Maxwell goes fuller and straighter and Marumani drives it down to mid-on and calls Bennett through for a quick single.
How will Bennett fare against the off-spinner here?
He starts with an awkward looking on drive through the mid-wicket region and picks up a single to one of the two men in the deep.
FOUR MORE! Another sensational reverse sweep from Marumani. He gets this forward of square for another boundary.
FOUR AGAIN! Maxwell straighter and this time it’s a regulation slog sweep from Marumani. He’s absolutely FLYING, 24 off 11!
Marumani absolutely smokes a cover drive off the final delivery, but hits it straight to a fielder. Excellent over again.
Zimbabwe with 23 runs off the last two overs.
1h agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 5:43am
3rd over – Marumani breaks free against Dwarshius
SWING AND A MISS! Loose shot this, a little pre-meditated. Dwarshius pitches it outside off and Marumani goes for a big leg-side heave and doesn’t get close.
FOUR! Much better that time for the leftie. A similar line to the last delivery, and this time he stands tall and cracks it through the covers. Zimbabwe are off and away!
FOUR MORE! Fuller and straighter and Marumani heaves it through the leg side. Doesn’t quite get all of it, but he beats the man in the deep to the square leg boundary.
Marumani follows that up by flicking the next delivery off his hips for a single to get off strike. Good over so far for the underdogs.
Bennett backs away and looks to club it over the in-field on the off side, but doesn’t quite get all of it and the ball goes one-bounce to Glenn Maxwell at a wideish mid-off.
RAMP ATTEMPT! Slower delivery from Dwarshius and Bennett gets leg side of the delivery and looks to ramp it over the keeper, but doesn’t quite connect.
Bennett struggling a little bit out there, he’s four off 11 deliveries. Got to get a move-on.
1h agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 5:37am
2nd over – Marcus Stoinis to share the new ball
Interesting call here from Head as Stoinis gets his chance with the new rock. Marumani, the left-hander, on strike for his first delivery.
A little bit of swing to start for Stoinis and it flies down the leg side and for a wide.
Stoinis getting some in-swing and Marumani’s attempted slog skews down to mid-on where Head fumbles so they pick up a quick single. He wasn’t too far from getting bowled there.
Stoinis’s next ball goes straight and strikes Bennett on the pads and Marumani calls him through for a quick single. No boundaries yet, but the Zimbabweans have been active early.
Stoinis goes short and Marumani top edges a pull shot, but it lands safely, good delivery that. Marumani has to settle for a single. That one definitely took him by surprise!
Three dot balls from that over, very tidy start from Australia’s two openers.
1h agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 5:31am
1st over – Dwarshius to open things upon his return
Ben Dwarshius has been handled the new rock to start the Zimbabwe innings.
Brian Bennett to take the first ball for Zimbabwe. He’s out there with Tadiwanashe Marumani
Dwarshius starts just outside off stump and Bennett cracks it to point where a good stop is made. A tiny bit of swing for the left-arm paceman.
BEATEN! Dwarshius angles it across the stumps and Bennett plays and misses this time on a booming off drive attempt.
Dwarshius gets a bit too straight and Bennett flicks it off his hips and picks up two to fine leg. Good running there.
BIG APPEAL! Dwarshius gets down leg side and Bennett misses an attempted flick and Josh Inglis is certain he’s hit that. The on-field call is not out, but Head sends it upstairs.
Replays show that there’s no sound as the ball passes the bat, but it looks like it’s clipped the thighpad instead. A good decision from Chris Gaffaney.
Dwarshius goes for a slower one wide outside off and completely flummoxes Bennett, whose checked drive flies over the in-field and he picks up two more.
BEATEN AGAIN! This one jags back off a back of a length and cuts Bennett in half. Excellent delivery to end a very good over from Dwarshius!
1h agoFri 13 Feb 2026 at 5:28am
These green Australian kits are delightful
Australian players walk out prior to their Group B clash against Zimbabwe in Colombo. (Getty Images)
I’ll tell you what, these kits are an absolute sight, very different to the usual canary yellow Aussie get-ups.
I’m a big fan. Reminds me of the Adidas kit that they wore around 2007-08.
Both teams out on the ground now for the national anthems. Not a huge crowd in at the Premadasa, to be fair.