Zimbabwe vs Oman | T20 World Cup 2026 Preview

Today at 11:57 AM

The Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo plays host to Zimbabwe against Oman on February 9 as both teams begin their T20 World Cup campaigns. Zimbabwe badly need a result here after a difficult stretch of cricket, while Oman will be eager to carry their recent purple patch into the biggest stage of all.

‌Zimbabwe and Oman come into the match from opposite ends of the spectrum. The African nation has had a torrid time lately, with their batting too dependent on captain Sikandar Raza and the top order failing to contribute meaningfully. Meanwhile, Oman has been the more composed outfit. Their innings tend to be well constructed, and they thrive in run chases, which gives them a real edge coming into the marquee tournament.

Form Guide

It has been a frustrating period for Zimbabwe. The middle overs continue to be their Achilles Heel, with run rates dipping badly between the powerplay and the slog overs. When they face quality fast bowling or sharp spin, the middle order tends to stutter and stall. The death bowling has also been exposed, leaking too many runs when the opposition goes on the attack.

Oman are in a different headspace altogether. Confidence is running high after a string of positive results. They chase targets with composure and rarely seem to panic, even when the required rate starts climbing. The opening partnership has been providing excellent starts, and the seamers have done a fine job of restricting opponents early in the innings.

Zimbabwe: L L W L L

Oman: W W L W W

Zimbabwe vs Oman Head-to-Head

The two teams have never crossed paths in an official international match. This fixture at the T20 World Cup will be their maiden encounter in the T20I format, so neither side has any prior knowledge of the other in competitive conditions.

Zimbabwe 0-0 Oman

Pitch and Weather

The Sinhalese Sports Club surface in Colombo tends to play fair for both batters and bowlers. The wicket allows the ball to come onto the bat freely, rewarding aggressive strokeplay from the openers at the start of the contest. As the match wears on, the surface gets slower and starts to grip, making life harder for batters and bringing the spinners into the game.

Colombo on February 9 will serve up typical tropical conditions. Expect temperatures between 29 and 31 degrees Celsius, plenty of humidity, and no rain. The muggy air could make life uncomfortable for the fast bowlers in particular, as sweat makes the ball slippery and harder to grip under the lights in the evening session.

The captain winning the toss should strongly favour batting first. Taking advantage of the best conditions up front and putting a total on the board seems the sensible approach, leaving the opposition to navigate the slower, more unpredictable surface later on.

Team News

Zimbabwe might stick with what they know. The squad is anchored by Sikandar Raza, who remains central to everything the team does with bat, ball, and in the field, as captain. Brendan Taylor keeps wicket, and his experience in the middle order adds a calming presence to a lineup that can be brittle under pressure.

Oman might name a familiar and settled eleven. Jatinder Singh leads from the front as captain and primary run scorer at the top. Aamir Kaleem fills the all-rounder berth and has been a reliable performer through the middle overs, contributing in both departments when the team needs it most.

Zimbabwe (Probable XI): Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Dion Myers, Brendan Taylor (wk), Sikandar Raza (capt), Ryan Burl, Graeme Cremer, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava

Oman (Probable XI): Jatinder Singh (c), Aamir Kaleem, Hammad Mirza, Karan Sonavale, Wasim Ali, Vinayak Shukla (wk), Jiten Ramanandi, Nadeem Khan, Shah Faisal, Shakeel Ahmad, Jay Odedra

Broadcasting Platforms

The ZIM vs OMA T20 World Cup 2026 match will be streamed live on the JioHotstar app and website in India from 3:00 PM IST on Monday, with the telecast of the same on the Star Sports Network.

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