The Zimbabwe National Cricket Team Vs West Indies Cricket Team Match Scorecard from February 23, 2026, tells the story of a complete Caribbean demolition at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. West Indies posted a colossal 254/6 the highest total of this World Cup and the second-highest ever in T20 World Cup history before dismissing Zimbabwe for just 147 in 17.4 overs to seal a dominant 107-run victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eights.
The turning point came the moment Shimron Hetmyer walked to the crease. His blistering 85 off just 34 balls, combined with Rovman Powell’s explosive 59 off 35, built a 122-run third-wicket partnership that left Zimbabwe’s bowlers shellshocked. With the ball, spinners Gudakesh Motie (4/28) and Akeal Hosein (3/28) dismantled Zimbabwe’s chase before it ever threatened to take shape. This Zimbabwe National Cricket Team Vs West Indies Cricket Team Match Scorecard will be remembered as one of the most one-sided Super Eights encounters in tournament history.
Match Summary Table
| Team | Runs | Wickets | Overs | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Indies | 254 | 6 | 20.0 | Won by 107 runs |
| Zimbabwe | 147 | 10 | 17.4 | Lost |
Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | Date: 23 February 2026 | Format: T20 | Toss: Zimbabwe won; elected to field
West Indies exploded after a watchful powerplay, with Hetmyer and Powell turning the middle overs into a batting masterclass. The final five overs produced carnage Sherfane Rutherford (31* off 13), Romario Shepherd (21 off 10), and Jason Holder (13 off 4) ensured 19 sixes in the innings. Zimbabwe, needing 255, crumbled early and never recovered, losing their last five wickets in a heap as the spinners ran riot.
Batting Highlights
West Indies Batting
| Player | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon King | 28 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 127.27 |
| Shai Hope (c & wk) | 6 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 75.00 |
| Shimron Hetmyer | 85 | 34 | 7 | 7 | 250.00 |
| Rovman Powell | 59 | 35 | 4 | 4 | 168.57 |
| Sherfane Rutherford | 31* | 13 | 3 | 2 | 238.46 |
| Romario Shepherd | 21 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 210.00 |
| Jason Holder | 13 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 325.00 |
| Matthew Forde | 1* | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Extras | 21 | — | — | — | (10lb, 1nb, 10w) |
| Total | 254/6 | 20 ov | 16 | 19 | 12.70 RR |
Hetmyer was given two lifetimes dropped on 9 off Muzarabani and he made Zimbabwe pay emphatically. His 19-ball half-century was the fastest by a West Indian batter in T20 World Cup history. The Hetmyer–Powell third-wicket stand of 122 runs is now West Indies’ highest for that wicket in Men’s T20 World Cup history. After both fell, Rutherford, Shepherd, and Holder turned the final three overs into a six-hitting exhibition, hoisting WI past 250 for the first time in this tournament.
Zimbabwe Batting
| Player | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Bennett | 14 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 140.00 |
| Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk) | 14 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 175.00 |
| Dion Myers | 28 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 186.67 |
| Sikandar Raza (c) | 27 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 135.00 |
| Ryan Burl | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Tony Munyonga | 14 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 87.50 |
| Tashinga Musekiwa | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Brad Evans | 43 | 21 | 2 | 5 | 204.76 |
| Graeme Cremer | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Richard Ngarava | 7* | 6 | 0 | 1 | 116.67 |
| Blessing Muzarabani | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | 9 | — | — | — | (4lb, 5w) |
| Total | 147/10 | 17.4 ov | 10 | 13 | 8.33 RR |
Zimbabwe’s chase collapsed in stages. The top order was gutted by 20/3 inside three overs. Raza and Myers showed fight, but neither stayed long enough to mount a real challenge. The only bright spark was Brad Evans at the death, smashing a ferocious 43 off 21 to rescue some dignity. His last-wicket stand of 44 with Ngarava set a new T20 World Cup record for the 10th wicket, eclipsing the previous best of 37.
Bowling Figures
West Indies Bowling (vs Zimbabwe)
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gudakesh Motie | 4 | 28 | 4 | 7.00 |
| Akeal Hosein | 4 | 28 | 3 | 7.00 |
| Matthew Forde | 3.4 | 27 | 2 | 7.36 |
| Shamar Joseph | 3 | 35 | 0 | 11.67 |
| Jason Holder | 3 | N/A | 1 | N/A |
Note: Holder’s complete figures were not fully itemised in available sources; he dismissed Cremer (c&b) during the 13th over.
Motie and Hosein were utterly clinical, accounting for seven of Zimbabwe’s ten wickets between them. Both finished with an economy of exactly 7.00 remarkable figures chasing a 255-run target where batsmen had no choice but to go hard. The spin duo used varying pace and flight to set up Zimbabwe’s middle-order collapse, reducing them to 102/8 in 13.3 overs before Evans’ cameo flattered the scorecard.
Zimbabwe Bowling (vs West Indies)
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blessing Muzarabani | 4 | 42 | 2 | 10.50 |
| Richard Ngarava | 4 | 47 | 2 | 11.75 |
| Brad Evans | 4 | 46 | 1 | 11.50 |
| Graeme Cremer | 4 | 38 | 1 | 9.50 |
| Sikandar Raza | 3 | 52 | 0 | 17.33 |
| Dion Myers | 1 | 19 | 0 | 19.00 |
Muzarabani and Ngarava were Zimbabwe’s best, keeping their pace lengths honest despite the carnage. Cremer (9.50) was their most economical option in the middle overs. However, Raza had a nightmare with the ball his 3 overs cost 52 runs, the most by a Zimbabwean bowler in a single T20 World Cup innings, surpassing his own teammate Muzarabani’s record of 50. The absence of genuine death-bowling options exposed Zimbabwe fatally once Hetmyer and Powell took off.
Key Moments & Tactical Analysis
Toss Impact: Zimbabwe’s captain Sikandar Raza won the toss and chose to bowl first at the Wankhede under lights a reasonable call given the venue’s history with dew in the second innings. However, it backfired spectacularly as West Indies used the conditions to blast their way to 254.
Powerplay Momentum: West Indies managed a measured 47/1 in the first six overs. Muzarabani threatened early, and King looked good before Hope fell cheaply. The powerplay did not foreshadow what was to come.
Turning Point: The arrival of Hetmyer at No. 3 changed everything. He was dropped on 9 by Musekiwa off Muzarabani a missed opportunity that proved fatal for Zimbabwe. Over the next 25 balls, Hetmyer destroyed every bowler, including dispatching spinner Raza for the six that brought up his fifty in just 19 balls.
Captaincy Decisions: Raza’s decision to bowl himself proved costly. His 3-over spell leaked 52 runs at an economy of 17.33. The bowling rotations were also stretched, with Myers forced to bowl a token over that cost 19.
Pitch/Dew Factor: As the match wore on, Zimbabwe’s chase under lights with a wet outfield made conditions slightly easier for batting but the target was simply too mountainous. Even with dew, 255 was never going to be chased.
Key Stats Table
| Metric | West Indies | Zimbabwe |
|---|---|---|
| Total Runs | 254/6 | 147/10 |
| Overs Faced | 20.0 | 17.4 |
| Run Rate | 12.70 | 8.33 |
| Extras | 21 | 9 |
| Boundaries (4s) | 16 | 10 |
| Sixes (6s) | 19 | 13 |
| Highest Partnership | 122 (Hetmyer-Powell, 3rd wkt) | 44 (Evans-Ngarava, 10th wkt) |
| Top Scorer | Shimron Hetmyer – 85 (34) | Brad Evans – 43 (21) |
| Best Bowling | Gudakesh Motie – 4/28 | Blessing Muzarabani – 2/42 |
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. All match data and statistics are sourced from publicly available cricket platforms. We do not claim ownership of any official scorecard or broadcast content.
West Indies hit 19 sixes the joint most in a single Men’s T20 World Cup innings. The match aggregate of 401 runs is the highest ever between West Indies and Zimbabwe in T20I cricket. Zimbabwe’s only standout stat was Evans and Ngarava’s record 10th-wicket stand a consolation moment in an otherwise forgettable chase.
Head-to-Head Analysis (T20I)
| Stat | West Indies | Zimbabwe |
|---|---|---|
| T20I Matches Played | 5 | 5 |
| Wins | 4 | 1 |
| T20 WC Meetings | 2 | 2 |
| Biggest Win (Runs) | 107 runs (2026) | 26 runs (2010) |
Before this match, Zimbabwe and West Indies had met five times in T20Is. Zimbabwe’s solitary T20I win came back in 2010, when they beat the Windies by 26 runs. Since then, West Indies have won every encounter, including a 31-run victory in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia where West Indies posted 153/7 and bowled Zimbabwe out for 122. This 2026 meeting was comfortably the most one-sided result between the two sides.
Historical Rivalry
The Zimbabwe–West Indies rivalry in cricket, while not as storied as Ashes or subcontinental derbies, has its own character. In Tests and ODIs, West Indies have historically dominated. But Zimbabwe surprised everyone in the 2022 T20 World Cup by nearly pushing West Indies in the group stage before going down by 31 runs.
The 2026 Super Eights clash is a stark escalation. The match aggregate of 401 runs is the highest between these two sides in T20I history. What makes this rivalry interesting is Zimbabwe’s rapid growth as a T20 side their wins over Australia and Sri Lanka in this tournament showed they are no longer minnows. However, when a peak West Indies side fires on all cylinders, as they did on February 23, the margin of difference remains significant.
Looking at player records between the two sides, Hamilton Masakadza remains Zimbabwe’s greatest performer against West Indies in T20Is with 106 runs in three innings. Shimron Hetmyer’s 85 on this night will now sit alongside that as one of the iconic individual performances in this fixture’s history only on the other side.
Read Also: Ireland Cricket Team Vs Bangladesh National Cricket Team Match Scorecard
Conclusion
This Zimbabwe National Cricket Team Vs West Indies Cricket Team Match Scorecard underlines the gulf between two sides who entered the Super Eights from very different angles. West Indies, unbeaten in five games, look the most complete batting unit of the 2026 T20 World Cup. The 107-run win propelled them to the top of Super Eights Group 1 on net run rate, ahead of South Africa.
For Zimbabwe, the defeat ends their unbeaten run of four matches that included stunning wins over Australia and Sri Lanka in the group stage. They now face a formidable India in their next fixture, with qualification hopes hanging by a thread. West Indies, meanwhile, move forward as genuine title contenders a side that can bat any team out of a game.
? FAQs
What was the final score?
West Indies 254/6 (20 overs) beat Zimbabwe 147 all out (17.4 overs) by 107 runs.
Who was Player of the Match?
Shimron Hetmyer (WI) 85 off 34 balls with 7 fours and 7 sixes, plus 2 catches.
Who scored the most runs?
Shimron Hetmyer with 85 off 34 balls for West Indies. Brad Evans top-scored for Zimbabwe with 43 off 21.
Who took the most wickets?
Gudakesh Motie took 4/28 in 4 overs for West Indies. Muzarabani and Ngarava each took 2 wickets for Zimbabwe.
What was the turning point?
Hetmyer being dropped on 9 by Musekiwa off Muzarabani. That missed chance allowed Hetmyer to go on and score 85, fuelling a 122-run stand with Powell that effectively ended the match as a contest.
