ICC Men's Т20 World Cup 2026, Match 38: Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe
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ICC Men's Т20 World Cup 2026, Match 38: Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe
A battle of high stakes and regional pride is set for the R. Premadasa Stadium as co-hosts Sri Lanka take on Zimbabwe in Match 38 of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.
Taking place in Colombo, this Group B finale could serve as a "winner-takes-all" scenario for a spot in the Super Eight. Sri Lanka aims to utilize their home advantage and mystery spin to finish the group stage on a high, while Zimbabwe-buoyed by recent upsets-is looking to script another famous chapter in their giant-killing history. You can watch the drama unfold live on Willow by Cricbuzz.
Head-to-Head: The Lions vs. The Chevrons Historically, Sri Lanka has held a clear edge in this fixture, but recent bilateral series have seen Zimbabwe claw back with significant wins, proving the gap is narrowing in the shortest format.
Overall T20Is: 11 matches
Sri Lanka Wins: 8
Zimbabwe Wins: 3
Recent Series (Sept 2025): Sri Lanka won the series 2-1, but Zimbabwe secured a morale-boosting 5-wicket win in the 2nd T20I.
T20 World Cup History: Sri Lanka leads 2-1 (Zimbabwe won their most recent WC meeting in 2022 by 31 runs).
Team Form & Recent Results Sri Lanka (W-W-L-L-W) Under the leadership of Dasun Shanaka, who returned to the captaincy for this home World Cup, the Lions have been a force at the Premadasa. Their strategy revolves around a suffocating spin attack and an aggressive top order that has found its rhythm.
Match 30: Faced Australia in a massive Kandy showdown (Feb 16, 2026).
Match 12: Defeated Oman by 105 runs (Feb 12, 2026).
Match 6: Defeated Ireland by 20 runs (Feb 8, 2026).
Status: Looking to secure the top seed in Group B.
Zimbabwe (W-W-L-L-W) Captain Sikandar Raza continues to lead the "Chevrons" with his heart on his sleeve. Zimbabwe arrived in Colombo as the tournament's "X-factor" team, recently stunning Australia in a low-scoring thriller to throw Group B wide open.
Match 32: Faced Ireland in a critical survival battle (Feb 17, 2026).
Match 19: Stunned Australia by 5 wickets (Feb 13, 2026).
Match 8: Defeated Oman by 8 wickets (Feb 9, 2026).
News: Ben Curran has joined the squad as an injury replacement for the veteran Brendan Taylor.
Players in Focus Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka): The heartbeat of the Lankan defense. On the abrasive Premadasa surface, his leg-spin and deceptive googlies are nearly unplayable during the middle overs.
Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe): A global T20 icon. Raza's ability to single-handedly win games with both bat and ball makes him the primary threat that Sri Lanka will look to neutralize early.
Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka): The tournament's most consistent opener. His ability to anchor the innings allows the likes of Kusal Mendis and Charith Asalanka to play freely.
Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe): The "Tall Timber." His bounce and pace have historically troubled the Sri Lankan top order, and he will be vital in the powerplay and at the death.