Bongani Ndlovu
Brandon Moyo
ZIMBABWE senior men’s national cricket team fast bowler, Blessing Muzarabani has named in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup team of the tournament.
The lanky fast bowler was in the form of his life as the Chevrons reached the Super Eight stage of the global showpiece.
He picked up 13 wickets in six matches at 14.46 and an economy rate of 7.88.
He was the joint second leading wicket taker at the tournament, alongside England’s Adil Rashid and USA’s Shadley van Schalkwyk. They were only one wicket behind the leading duo of India’s Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy who claimed 14 scalps.
Muzarabani was key to Zimbabwe’s dream run at the tournament. After missing out on the 2024 edition, Zimbabwe produced their best performance at the T20 World Cups as they competed in the Super Eights.
The Chevrons announced their arrival with a 23-run win over Australia. In that match, Muzarabani claimed 4/17 as Australia were dismissed for 146 while chasing Zimbabwe’s 169/2.
His 4/17 from four overs became the best bowling figures by a Zimbabwean at a Men’s T20 World Cup, surpassing Wellington Masakadza’s 4/28 against Scotland in 2016. They are also Zimbabwe’s best figures against a Full Member side in Men’s T20Is, eclipsing Luke Jongwe’s 4/18 against Pakistan in 2021.
In the group stage, the pacer claimed nine wickets in three matches as his team finished at the top of Group B.
At the tournament, Muzarabani also became only the third Zimbabwean, after teammates Richard Ngarava and Sikandar Raza, to reach 100 T20I wickets.
2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Team of the Tournament:
Sahibzada Farhan (Pakistan), Sanju Samson (wk, India), Ishan Kishan (India), Aiden Markram (captain, South Africa), Hardik Pandya (India), Will Jacks (England), Jason Holder (West Indies), Jasprit Bumrah (India), Lungi Ngidi (South Africa), Adil Rashid (England), Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe), Shadley Van Schalkwyk (USA).
Online Reporter
Peter Tanyanyiwa