Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe arrives at the perfect storm. On February 19 at R, two already qualified teams from Group B will go head-to-head. Sri Lanka rolls in unbeaten across three matches, carrying six points and a commanding net run rate of +2.462.
Zimbabwe chases them down on five points, fuelled by one of the tournament’s most stunning results, a 23-run win over Australia that silenced every doubter who ever wrote them off.
SL vs ZIM in the T20 World Cup cricket rarely produces dull cricket, but this fixture carries a different weight entirely. Both teams have defeated the Aussies. The Chevrons defended 160 against Australia with discipline and nerve.
And the Lions chased down targets with 12 balls left. One team finishes top. One team carries second-place momentum into the Super 8s.
Brian Bennett averages 44.38 this campaign. Kusal Mendis has scored a fifty in every group game. Cricket Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe on Thursday promises the group stage’s sharpest tactical battle yet.
Table of Contents
Match Details of SL vs ZIM T20 World Cup
- Match: Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe (Group B)
- Date: Thursday, February 19, 2026
- Time: 3:00 PM IST / Local Time (Doors open at 1:00 PM)
- Venue: R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium (RPICS), Colombo
- Live Streaming (Sri Lanka): Available on the Dialog Play App , JioHotstar and ThePapare.com
- TV Broadcast (Sri Lanka): Live on Dialog TV (Star Sports 1 Ch. 68, Star Sports 1 HD Ch. 120) and ThePapare 1 (Ch. 62) with Sinhala commentary
- How to Buy: Tickets can be purchased online via BookMyShow
Pitch Report
R. Premadasa has played host to all three of Sri Lanka’s group matches. The surface grips spin early and slows down in the second half of each innings. Seamers extract bounce in the powerplay, but totals between 155 and 170 tend to hold.
Teams winning the toss consistently choose to bat first here. Dew has not been a major factor in evening fixtures at this venue during the 2026 tournament. Teams defending above 160 have won three of the last four matches at this ground.
Team News
Sri Lanka enters this fixture fully fit. Kusal Perera remains the only concern after a run of low scores dating back to the Pakistan tri-series. Shanaka has resisted changing a winning combination, so the XI looks settled. Pathum Nissanka’s century against Australia gives the top order a calm, confident look.
Zimbabwe carries no fresh injury concerns. Sikandar Raza leads the side after his key contributions with both bat and ball against Australia. The only disruption came from a washed-out match against Ireland, which denied the team momentum for a few days. Raza confirmed the squad remains unchanged heading into this game.
SL vs ZIM Probable XIs
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dushan Hemantha, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana
Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza (c), Ryan Burl, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Graeme Cremer, Blessing Muzarabani
Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe Head-to-Head Records (T20I)
| Metric | Sri Lanka | Zimbabwe |
|---|---|---|
| Total Matches | 11 | 11 |
| Won | 8 | 3 |
| Win % | 72.7% | 27.3% |
| Highest Score | 193/2 | 191/8 |
3 Tactical Keys
- Zimbabwe Must Set a Target Above 155
Zimbabwe’s win over Australia came after posting a defendable total and trusting their bowlers. Against Sri Lanka at home, chasing is a risk. Kusal Mendis has scored a fifty in every group game. Batting first removes that threat. Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani need to build a 50-plus opening stand to give Zimbabwe enough runs to defend.
- Sri Lanka Must Attack Zimbabwe’s Middle Order Early
Zimbabwe’s batting depth drops sharply after Raza and Burl. If Theekshana and Wellalage remove both inside the powerplay, the lower order crumbles. Hemantha’s left-arm spin adds a different angle and creates problems for right-handers like Dion Myers. Getting through Zimbabwe’s first six in the powerplay at under seven an over puts the game in Sri Lanka’s hands.
- The Spin Battle Decides Everything
Graeme Cremer’s leg-spin has troubled Asian batters in the past, and the Colombo track rewards turn. Sri Lanka also carries Theekshana, Wellalage, and Hemantha. Whoever uses the spin period between overs seven and fifteen more aggressively takes control. This is where the match gets won or lost, and both captains know it.
Players to Watch
- Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka) Mendis averages 40.11 across his last ten T20 internationals and strikes at 138.31. He reads the Colombo conditions better than anyone in this match. Three fifties in three games show he is in the form of his career. Zimbabwe must take his wicket inside the powerplay or pay a heavy price late in the innings.
- Brian Bennett (Zimbabwe) Bennett has scored 355 runs in his last ten T20 matches at an average of 44.38. His unbeaten 64 against Australia set the platform for that historic win. He plays spin well for his age and does not get bogged down on slow surfaces. A big score from Bennett is Zimbabwe’s fastest route to a competitive total in Colombo.
- Brad Evans (Zimbabwe) Evans has taken 19 wickets in his last ten matches. His off-cutter deceives batters looking to go big in the death overs. He bowled the decisive spell in the Australia match. If Evans can repeat that with the ball, Zimbabwe has a genuine chance of toppling another Asian giant on home turf.
- Matheesha Pathirana (Sri Lanka) Pathirana’s slingy, low-arm action disrupts rhythm at the top of the order. Zimbabwe’s openers have not yet faced this kind of delivery in the tournament. His ability to bowl full and wide on slower pitches makes him dangerous even without a string of wickets to his name this campaign.
SL vs ZIM Prediction
Sri Lanka enters as favorites at R. Premadasa, backed by home crowd support, a settled lineup, and recent 3-2 T20 head-to-head dominance. Key performers Mendis and Nissanka provide a reliable platform, while Pathirana and Chameera offer a tight power play.
Although Zimbabwe’s bowlers are punching above their weight, they need a high score of 165-plus if batting first to challenge. Expect spinners to dominate the middle overs. Overall, Sri Lanka is expected to win by 20–30 runs or comfortably chase, finishing top of Group B.
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