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In their opening Super 8 match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, the West Indies achieved a remarkable 107-run victory against Zimbabwe at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday. Key performances came from Shimron Hetmyer, who scored 85 runs off 34 balls, and Rovman Powell, who contributed 59 runs off 35 balls. Gudakesh Motie also made a significant impact with the ball, taking 4 wickets for 28 runs in 4 overs.

Zimbabwe's Struggle in the Chase

Facing a daunting target of 254 runs, the second-highest total in T20 World Cup history, Zimbabwe needed a strong start. Tadiwanashe Marumani managed 14 runs off 8 balls, but West Indies' Matthew Forde struck on the last ball of the second over, claiming the first wicket for the Men in Maroon.

Brian Bennett fell on the very first ball of the next over, with Akeal Hosein taking his wicket, and soon after, Ryan Burl was dismissed for a duck, leaving Zimbabwe in a precarious position. Dion Myers showed some promise with 28 runs off 15 balls, but his efforts were short-lived.

Motie's Game-Changing Performance

The introduction of Gudakesh Motie marked a turning point in the match. The left-arm spinner proved difficult for the Zimbabwean batsmen to handle. In his first over, he bowled a stunning delivery that dismissed Myers, and in the 11th over, he took the crucial wickets of captain Sikandar Raza (27 runs off 20 balls) and Tashinga Musekiwa, who fell for a golden duck.

Despite narrowly missing a hat-trick, Motie's efforts left Zimbabwe reeling at 95/6. He later claimed his fourth wicket by dismissing Tony Munyonga (14 runs off 16 balls).

West Indies' Bowling Dominance

The West Indies' pace attack, led by Shamar Joseph and veteran Jason Holder (1/25 in 3 overs), maintained pressure on Zimbabwe, preventing any significant partnerships. Although Brad Evans provided a brief resistance with a quick 43 runs off 21 balls, Zimbabwe was ultimately bowled out for 147 runs in 17.4 overs, resulting in a 107-run defeat.

West Indies' Record-Breaking Innings

Earlier in the match, the West Indies set a formidable total of 254/6, the second-highest score in T20 World Cup history, only behind Sri Lanka's 260/6 against Kenya in 2007. This score also marked the highest T20I total against Zimbabwe, surpassing India's 234/2 in Harare in 2024.

The West Indies hit 19 sixes, tying the record for the most sixes in a T20 World Cup innings, matching the Netherlands' record against Ireland in 2014. This match also marked the third instance of the West Indies scoring over 250 runs in T20Is, tying them with Zimbabwe for the second-most such totals.

Early Challenges for the West Indies

The West Indies faced early setbacks, losing opener Brandon King for just 9 runs in the third over, with Richard Ngarava taking the wicket. By the end of the fourth over, the score was 29/1.

Captain Shai Hope was dismissed for 14 runs off 12 balls during the sixth over, leaving the West Indies at 55/2 at the end of the power play.

Hetmyer's Explosive Performance

Shimron Hetmyer shifted gears in the seventh over, hitting two consecutive sixes off Graeme Cremer. He then scored 20 runs in the next over against captain Sikandar Raza, reaching his half-century in just 19 balls. This marked the fastest fifty for the West Indies in T20 World Cup history, surpassing his previous record of 22 balls against Scotland earlier in the tournament.

Dominant Partnership Between Hetmyer and Powell

After 10 overs, the West Indies were in a strong position at 115/2. In the 13th over, Hetmyer and Rovman Powell combined to score 19 runs, bringing the total to 150/2.

Powell reached his half-century in 29 balls at the start of the 15th over. However, he was dismissed shortly after, breaking the 122-run partnership with Hetmyer, who scored an impressive 85 runs off 34 balls, including seven fours and seven sixes.

Final Overs and Conclusion

Speedster Blessing Muzarabani later took Powell's wicket for 59 runs off 35 balls. Romario Shepherd also contributed with a quick 21 runs off 10 balls, including three sixes, before being dismissed in the 19th over. The West Indies' commanding performance secured their position at the top of Super 8 Group 1 with a Net Run Rate (NRR) of +5.350.