Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
FOR the past few days, the Zimbabwe cricket team have been keeping fingers crossed, praying for the recovery of veteran batsman Brendan Taylor ahead of their second Group B match of the ICC T20 Men’s World Cup against Australia at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
The match will start at 7:30am Zimbabwean time today.
Without a doubt, the Chevrons need their best men available and fully fit to boost their chances of upsetting the superior Aussies in the quest to qualify for the prestigious Super Eight stage.
However, there were still lingering doubts by late yesterday on whether Taylor, who picked a thigh injury in the opening match against Oman, would make it.
Taylor holds the record as the only player at the 2026 tournament in India and Sri Lanka, who featured at the inaugural edition held in South Africa some 19 years ago.
Ironically, the 40-year-old destroyed Australia with a 45-ball 60 as Zimbabwe triumphed by five wickets in the sole meeting between the sides at a T20 World Cup stage.
Match opportunities between Zimbabwe and Australia in the T20I format have been sparse since then.
And, as the Zimbabweans wound down preparations to face the Baggy Greens for the second time at a T20 World Cup, coach Justin Sammons yesterday was anxious concerning the fitness of the experienced wicketkeeper/batsman, who they desperately need to stabilise the dressing room.
Taylor’s availability was subject to a late confirmation from the results of the scan performed by the medical team to determine the severity of the injury.
Nonetheless, Taylor has been training.
“We’re still waiting to see how today (yesterday) goes, but obviously it was a bit of a setback towards the back end of that Oman game.
“So, we’ll wait and see what happens with that come the end of the day,” Sammons told journalists during a pre-match press conference yesterday.
Both Zimbabwe and Australia have won their opening matches in Group B, with the Chevrons claiming an easy eight-wicket win over Oman while Australia outplayed Ireland by 67 runs.
Zimbabwe were impressive, especially with the ball, with seamers Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans taking three wickets each.
But there could be slight changes to the approach because of the different conditions expected at the R. Premadasa Stadium, which favour spin.
A traditionally slow, turning track in white-ball cricket, the stadium is often referred to as the “spinners’ paradise” and could see Zimbabwe opting to add another spin option in Graeme Cremer.
Skipper Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl could also contribute more with the ball in the spin-friendly environment as the Chevrons look to bank on the variety at their disposal.
“Obviously, it’s also condition dependent. I think the conditions at the SSC suited Richard and Blessing.
“You know, with their height, their extra bounce, they both bowl quite a heavy ball. So, certainly the conditions suited them vastly there at the SSC,” said Sammons.
“But the nice thing about our team is we do have good variety. You know, we’ve got good options in terms of spin.
“Obviously Sikandar Raza has played a huge part. We’ve got left and orthodox. You know, we’ve got leg spin in our squad, and in the 11 we played against Oman, which we didn’t really get to use.
“So, I think our variety, they all complement each other, and I think that’s important,” Sammons said. The approach is expected to be slightly intense all round against the superior Australians, who are placed number two in the current ICC T20 Team rankings.
Zimbabwe sit at number 11.
Sammons believes Zimbabwe are underdogs but has not ruled out an upset if they seize the “crucial moments.”
“From a previous match point of view, I thought we were spot on in the execution of our plans, and I think moving forward to tomorrow (today), that’s what it’s going to be about.
“It ultimately will come down to us sort of executing our skills, obviously under pressure against an extremely strong opposition.
“So, to give ourselves the best chance, we’ve got to be on the money in terms of our execution in all three departments.
“Like I say, you’ve still got to go out there and produce the goods. So, it’s about one ball at a time. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing, and it’s about playing what’s in front of you. You’re not playing the man.
“You’re playing what’s in front of you in terms of the ball, etc. So, the process is to stay exactly the same. It’s one ball at a time, obviously doing your best to sort of execute your skills around your plans.
“So, yeah, it’s not just another game. Obviously, it’s a great occasion. It’s super exciting, and the players are really excited to be here.
“They worked hard to get here, going through the qualifiers, which is a lot of pressure. So, to be here in itself is amazing, and it is a big occasion. You don’t take that for granted, but your process still stays the same.
“I think that’s the point I’m trying to get at. But obviously it is, and it’s exciting. It’s a privilege to be here, and you don’t take that for granted.”
While Zimbabwe were anxious about Taylor, the Australians were dealt a blow following the withdrawal of their captain Mitch Marsh, who was ruled out with an injury.
Marsh missed Australia’s first-up win over Ireland and has since been replaced by Steve Smith.
Despite the injuries dogging their camp, the Australians still have a strong line-up in all departments. They are also expected to deploy their spin weapons: Adam Zampa, who had a four-wicket haul against Ireland, Matthew Kuhnemann, all-rounder Cooper Connelly; and veteran Glenn Maxwell.
Hosts Sri Lanka, who have won two games against Ireland and Oman, sit on top of the Group B table with four points and a net run rate of 3.125.
Australia and Zimbabwe have two points each from the opening match wins. But the Baggy Greens sit in second place because of a better net run rate of 3.350 against Zimbabwe’s 2.702. Ireland and Oman are yet to pick up points, and only the top two teams from the group will progress to the Super Eight, which makes it imperative for the Chevrons to get a positive result.
