ZIMBABWE pulled off a stunning upset against Australia, winning by 23 runs in a Group B match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in Colombo on Friday.
Former India Test captain and batsman Sachin Tendulkar, the Master Blaster (pictured), was full of praise for the Zimbabweans.
"A statement win from Zimbabwe! Beating Australia by 23 runs takes real character," Sachin posted on X
Zimbabwe's 169/2, led by Brian Bennett's unbeaten 64 and Tadiwanashe Marumani's 35, set up a defendable total. The partnership between Bennett and Marumani laid the foundation for Zimbabwe's victory, with Ryan Burl and Sikandar Raza adding crucial runs later on.
Blessing Muzarabani's four wicket spell, with figures of 4/17, was instrumental in Zimbabwe's win.
"And of course, Blessing turned out to be just that, a blessing in the truest sense, with a superb 4 wicket spell," Sachin added.
Muzarabani's bowling was a masterclass, leaving Australian batsmen struggling to cope with his pace and precision.
Muzarabani's 4/17 is the best bowling performance by a Zimbabwean at a T20 World Cup, surpassing Luke Jongwe's 4/18 against Pakistan in 2021. His efforts helped in restricting Australia to 146 all out.
"What an exciting tournament this is shaping up to be!" Sachin added, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the T20 World Cup.
Zimbabwe's win marked their second victory over Australia in the tournament's history, with their first win coming at the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007.
Meanwhile, Australian batsman Matt Renshaw said Zimbabwe was a good side and the rankings may not be a reflection of where these two sides stand.
"I think that was 18 years ago (1st T20 World Cup defeat to Zimbabwe) . I was 11, so I was nowhere near the team at the moment.
“But it's just cricket, like T20 World Cups. T20 cricket in general has an impact on the day," Renshaw said.
"I don't think the gap's as big as what everyone's saying, so I think, yes, there's a difference in the rankings, but in T20 cricket, someone can have a great day out, someone can get a few early wickets, and the game's dynamics change.
“So I think that's just the nature of T20 cricket."
"They played really well. I don't remember watching the one in 2007, but they probably played well that day as well.
“So they're a good team, they've got a lot of good players. I saw them missing their captain today, and they still played really well, so they've got a great team. As you say, it's a pretty small unit – T20 cricket."