The West Indies etched their name into the history books with a clinical 107-run demolition of Zimbabwe in Match 44 of the T20 World Cup 2026. The Super 8 encounter, held at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 23, 2026, saw the Caribbean side post a staggering 254/6, the second highest total in the history of the tournament. Zimbabwe, who had entered the match on the back of an unbeaten group stage run, found the mountain too steep to climb and were eventually bowled out for 147 runs in the 18th over.
The evening began with Zimbabwe’s captain Sikandar Raza winning the toss and electing to bowl first, a decision that initially seemed sound on a surface known for assisting chasers under the lights. The Zimbabwe pacers struck early blows to justify the call. Brandon King was dismissed for just 9 runs off 12 balls after being caught off the bowling of Richard Ngarava. Soon after, the in-form Shai Hope departed for 14 runs off 12 balls, falling to the medium pace of Brad Evans. At 54/2 in the sixth over, Zimbabwe appeared to be in a strong position.
However, the match underwent a violent transformation once Shimron Hetmyer found his range. The left hander unleashed a barrage of boundaries that left the Omani bowlers and fielders shell shocked. Shimron Hetmyer blasted a breathtaking 85 runs off just 34 balls, a knock that featured seven boundaries and seven massive sixes. During this innings, he brought up his half century in a mere 19 deliveries, setting a new record for the fastest fifty by a West Indian in T20 World Cup history.
He found the perfect ally in his captain Rovman Powell, and together they dismantled the Zimbabwe attack with a 122 run partnership. Rovman Powell was equally destructive, scoring a powerful 59 runs off 35 balls, including four towering sixes. The pair took a particular liking to the spin of Sikandar Raza, who conceded 52 runs in his three overs without taking a wicket. By the time Graeme Cremer (1/38) eventually dismissed Hetmyer, the West Indies were already eyeing a record breaking total.
The onslaught did not stop with the departure of the set batters. Sherfane Rutherford continued the momentum with a quickfire unbeaten 31* runs off 13 balls, finding the ropes with relative ease. Romario Shepherd also contributed a bruising 21 runs off 10 balls, featuring three consecutive sixes off Richard Ngarava (2/47). Even Jason Holder joined the party with a cameo of 13 runs off 4 balls, including two sixes in the final over bowled by Blessing Muzarabani (2/42). The West Indies finished their 20 overs at 254/6, leaving Zimbabwe needing a miracle.
Zimbabwe’s chase of 255 started in disastrous fashion as the scoreboard pressure proved too much to handle. They lost three wickets for just 20 runs within the first three overs. Tadiwanashe Marumani showed some early intent with 14 runs off 8 balls before falling to Matthew Forde. The bigger blow came when the tournament’s standout young batter Brian Bennett was bowled by Akeal Hosein for just 5 runs, marking his first dismissal of the competition. Ryan Burl followed for a 0-run duck two balls later, leaving the chase in tatters.
Dion Myers tried to provide some resistance and played a few enterprising shots to score 28 runs off 15 balls. He struck three fours and two sixes before being bamboozled by the left arm spin of Gudakesh Motie. The captain Sikandar Raza also tried to fight back, scoring 27 runs off 20 balls, but he struggled to find partners at the other end. Gudakesh Motie proved to be the architect of Zimbabwe’s downfall, finishing with exceptional figures of 4 wickets for 28 runs.
The middle order collapse continued as Tony Munyonga was caught for 14 runs and Tashinga Musekiwa fell for a 0-run duck to the relentless Motie. At 103/9, it appeared the match would end much sooner, but Brad Evans provided some late entertainment for the crowd. Brad Evans played a defiant and entertaining innings of 43 runs off 21 balls, smashing five sixes in a late flurry that at least helped respect the Net Run Rate for the African side.
The final wicket fell when Brad Evans was caught by Akeal Hosein off the bowling of Matthew Forde (2/27). Zimbabwe was eventually bowled out for 147 runs in 17.4 overs. Akeal Hosein finished a brilliant supporting act with the ball, taking 3 wickets for 28 runs. The 107-run margin of victory was a statement of intent from the West Indies, who now sit at the top of their Super 8 group with a massive Net Run Rate advantage.
Shimron Hetmyer was the unanimous choice for Player of the Match for his record breaking 85. In the post match presentation, he credited the team’s aggressive philosophy and the freedom given to him by the coaching staff. For Zimbabwe, the defeat was a harsh reality check after their perfect group stage. Sikandar Raza acknowledged that his team was outplayed in all departments but vowed to bounce back in their next game against India. The West Indies, meanwhile, move one step closer to the semi finals with a performance that will surely put the other contenders on notice.