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Zimbabwe's T20 World Cup Upset Over Australia "No Surprise": Kapugedera

Former Sri Lankan captain Chamara Kapugedera stated that Zimbabwe's T20 World Cup victory over Australia was not a major shock, given Zimbabwe's strong T20 form in recent years. He emphasized the tournament's unpredictable nature, citing other close matches like Nepal nearly defeating England. This marks Zimbabwe's second-ever T20 World Cup win against Australia, with the first occurring in 2007. The result has reshuffled Group B standings, pushing Zimbabwe to second place and dropping Australia to third.

Key Points: Zimbabwe Beats Australia in T20 WC: Kapugedera Reacts

  • Zimbabwe beat Australia by 23 runs
  • Upset called "not a big surprise"
  • Tournament proving highly unpredictable
  • Nepal almost beat England too
  • Zimbabwe now 2nd in Group B
2 min read

"Anyone can beat any team on their day": Chamara Kapugedera on Zimbabwe defeating Australia in T20 World Cup

Former Sri Lanka captain Chamara Kapugedera says Zimbabwe's T20 World Cup win over Australia was no shock, citing the tournament's unpredictability.

"anyone can beat any team on their day. There won't be any surprises - Chamara Kapugedera"

By Vivek Prabhakhar Singh, Colombo, February 13

Former Sri Lankan skipper Chamara Kapugedera has said Zimbabwe causing an upset by defeating Australia in the T20 World Cup wasn't a shocker as they've been in solid form in the T20s.

He added that this World Cup's already shown how unpredictable it is meaning any team can topple another on its day, so "no surprises" really.

Zimbabwe pulled off the biggest upset of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, defeating mighty Australia by 23 runs in match 19 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

"Australia were the favourites, but Zimbabwe have been playing really good T20 cricket for the past couple of years. So, I think it was not a big surprise. Zimbabwe do play really good T20 cricket. So, anything can happen in this World Cup, as we can see from the few games played: Nepal almost beat England. So, anyone can beat any team on their day. There won't be any surprises," Kapugedera told ANI.

This is the second time that the African nation has beaten Australia in a T20 World Cup match. The first was when Australia lost their group stage match against Zimbabwe in the 2007 edition.

After this win, Zimbabwe have moved into second place in Group B, while Australia slipped down to third place with only one win. Sri Lanka are at the top with a couple of wins.

Zimbabwe will take on Ireland in their next group-stage match on Tuesday, while Australia will face Sri Lanka on Monday.

Kapugedera lauded Sri Lanka for co-hosting the T20 World Cup with defending champions India, saying, "It's great that we get to host another World Cup after 14 years."

"The last time was 2012. Sri Lanka was waiting for one of these opportunities," he added.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Absolutely true what Kapugedera says. We saw Nepal almost beat England too. In a short format, one brilliant spell or one explosive innings can change everything. This is good for cricket, keeps the big teams on their toes.
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Rohit P
As an Indian fan, I'm happy for Zimbabwe but also a bit worried 😅 If they can beat Australia, they can beat anyone. Our team needs to be 100% focused in every match. No room for complacency. #T20WorldCup
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Ananya R
Respect to Zimbabwe! They've been building a solid team. But let's be honest, Australia's batting lineup looked completely out of sorts. Sometimes the "favourites" tag creates its own pressure. Great for the tournament's drama though!
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Sarah B
Watching from the US, this is fantastic for growing the game globally. Upsets like this make headlines and get new fans interested. Congratulations to Zimbabwe! The World Cup is wide open now.
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Karthik V
Kapugedera is right, but calling it "no surprise" is a bit of a stretch for the average fan. Australia losing to Zimbabwe IS a surprise, and that's okay! It's what makes sport beautiful. Let's celebrate the upset without downplaying it.
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Nikhil C

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