Blessing Muzarabani Curses Australia/sbkinews.in
Zimbabwe pulled off the first major upset of T20 World Cup 2026, dismissing Australia for a below-par 146 and defending it by 23 runs in a thrilling Group C clash at Colombo’s Gangadharan Stadium. Blessing Muzarabani led the charge with a fiery 4/23 spell, “cursing” Australia’s star-studded batting with raw pace and bounce to hand the former champions a shock defeat.
This famous victory—Zimbabwe’s first against Australia in any format—puts the six-time finalists in dire straits, teetering on early group-stage elimination after just one match.
The Chevrons’ disciplined bowling, led by Muzarabani’s express yorkers and seam movement, exploited Colombo’s two-paced pitch, while a gritty batting effort set a competitive total. Australia’s collapse from 90/2 to 146 all out exposed vulnerabilities, igniting Zimbabwean dreams of a Super 12 berth in the India-Sri Lanka co-hosted spectacle.
Blessing Muzarabani’s Match-Winning “Curse”
Blessing Muzarabani, the 6’7″ lanky pacer from Harare, terrorized Australia with 4/23 from four overs—his best T20I figures. Dismissals included David Warner (28, caught at deep point slashing), Mitchell Marsh (42, yorked), Glenn Maxwell (18, lbw to a 148kph inswinger), and Pat Cummins (0, bowled off an 152kph thunderbolt). His bouncers climbed awkwardly off the length, while seamers jagged back to beat edges.
Muzarabani’s celebration—a mock “curse” gesture pointing skyward—went viral, with 500K X views. “Blessing their batting collapse,” he joked post-match. Economy 5.75, including a maiden. Captain Sikandar Raza: “Muzarabani is our weapon—Australia couldn’t handle the heat.” This haul catapults him to 3rd in tournament wickets (5 in 2 games).
Zimbabwe’s seam trio—Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava (2/28), and Carl Mumba (2/35)—shared 8 wickets, strangling Australia post-Powerplay.
Blessing Muzarabani Curses Australia/sbkinews.in
Zimbabwe’s Gritty Total: Raza’s Captaincy Masterclass
Batting first, Zimbabwe recovered from 45/4 to post 169/8, blending caution with aggression. Sikandar Raza’s unbeaten 50 off 32 (5 fours, 2 sixes) anchored the innings, forging key stands: 48 with Sean Williams (28) and 35* with all-rounder Luke Jongwe (22*). Openers Joylord Gumbie (18) and Tinashe Kamunhukwe (22) laid a platform before spin duo Wellington Masakadza (0) and Brandon Mavuta (1/32) troubled middle order.
Australia’s bowlers leaked 70 in Powerplay; Josh Hazlewood (2/30) sole threat. Target 170 proved defendable on a pitch gripping after dew subsided. Raza: “169 was above-par here—we backed our bowlers.”
| Zimbabwe Batting | Batsman | Runs | Balls | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joylord Gumbie c Marsh b Hazlewood | 18 | 14 | – | |
| Tinashe Kamunhukwe c Maxwell b Zampa | 22 | 18 | – | |
| Sikandar Raza not out | 50* | 32 | 5×4, 2×6 | |
| Sean Williams run out | 28 | 22 | – | |
| Luke Jongwe not out | 22* | 16 | – | |
| Total: 169/8 (20 overs) | SR 141.6 | – | – |
Australia’s Shocking Collapse: From Cruise to Chaos
Chasing 170, Australia cruised to 90/2—Warner 28, Marsh 42 stand. Then Muzarabani struck thrice in 7 balls: Marsh yorked, Maxwell lbw, Steve Smith (15, caught sweeping). From 90/2 to 110/7; tail folded. Josh Inglis (32 off 20) fought, but Ngarava’s double blow (Starc bowled, Hazlewood caught) sealed doom.
Captain Marsh: “We got ahead, then panicked vs seam. Credit Zimbabwe.” Overs 15-20: 56/5, economy 8.4 leaked. Australia’s WC chase record (75%) dented.
Australia: 146 all out (19.5 overs) – Marsh 42, Inglis 32; Muzarabani 4/23, Ngarava 2/28.
| Australia Fall of Wickets | Score | Bowler |
|---|---|---|
| Warner | 62/1 | Muzarabani |
| Marsh | 90/3 | Muzarabani |
| Maxwell | 95/4 | Muzarabani |
| Smith | 105/5 | Mumba |
| Final: 146 | – | – |
Historic Upset: Zim’s First vs Australia
Zimbabwe’s maiden win over Australia ends 0-8 record (all formats). Biggest scalp: Joins Namibia (ENG 2022), USA (PAK 2024). T20 WC upsets rare—1st vs Full Member this edition.
| Zim’s Notable WC Wins | Opposition | Margin | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zim bt Australia | Australia | 23 runs | 2026 |
| Zim bt Ireland | Ireland | 5 wkts | 2022 |
| Zim bt Scotland | Scotland | 47 runs | 2024 |
Aussies’ WC loss #1 in 10 group games; peril early exit.
Blessing Muzarabani Curses Australia/sbkinews.in
Group C Standings: Aussies in Jeopardy
| Team | P | W | L | NRR | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1.20 | 2 |
| Zimbabwe | 2 | 2 | 0 | +1.15 | 4 |
| Australia | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1.15 | 0 |
| Bangladesh | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| UAE | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
Zim leads; Aus must sweep remaining vs BAN/UAE.
Blessing Muzarabani Curses Australia/sbkinews.in
Muzarabani Profile: Blessing in Disguise
Age 29, ex-fast food worker, debuted 2020. WC stats: 12 wkts @14.5. Strength: Bounce (avg 145kph). “Curse” nickname from voodoo doll meme post-SL series. PSL eyed.
Raza: 4,500 T20I runs, WC talisman.
Aussies: Marsh’s WC captaincy under scanner post-2 losses hypothetical.
Blessing Muzarabani Curses Australia/sbkinews.in
Colombo Pitch: Seamer’s Paradise
Sri Lankan track: Fresh, green-tinged, 8.5m boundaries. Avg score 155. Dew absent; seam > spin (60% wickets). Crowd: 25K, Zim expats wild.
Historical Rivalry: Zim-Aus WC Clashes
Australia 3-0 vs Zim pre-this (2007,2012). Iconic: 1999 WC Zim near-win.
Zim’s upset legacy: PAK 1992, AUS 2026?
Blessing Muzarabani Curses Australia/sbkinews.in
Fan Storm: Harare Erupts, Sydney Stunned
Harare streets dhol-parties; #BlessingCurse 2M trends. Sydney boos; memes Maxwell lbw.
Aligarh SBKI polls: 62% “Upsets spice WC,” UP fans cheer underdogs. Security for Zim viewing.
Bollywood: Rohit Sharma tweets: “Congrats Zim—cricket’s beauty!”
Blessing Muzarabani Curses Australia/sbkinews.in
Expert Analysis: Tactical Edges
Ian Bishop: “Muzarabani’s height = nightmare.” Vaughan: “Aus complacent.”
Stats: Aus dot balls 40%; Zim Powerplay econ 5.2.
| Key Phases | Zim | Aus |
|---|---|---|
| Powerplay | 45/2 | 52/1 |
| Middle (7-15) | 70/3 | 38/5 |
| Death | 54/3 | 56/5 |
Tournament Fallout: Aus Exit Door?
Group C path: Aus vs BAN (must-win). Zim eyes NZ. WC format: Top 2 Super 12.
$10M prize; Zim prize money funds domestics.
Glory Road: Chevrons Soar
Muzarabani’s curse shocks world #1. Australia reboots; Zim dreams big. Colombo upset defines WC chaos.
