Zimbabwe sealed a Super Eight berth in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after their Group D fixture against Ireland was abandoned due to persistent rain at Pallekele on Tuesday. Continuous downpours left the outfield waterlogged, and officials called off the match before the toss could take place.
As a result, the washout confirmed Zimbabwe’s progression while ending the Super Eight hopes of both Australia and Ireland. Although Australia still have one group match remaining against Oman, they are now out of contention for the next stage. Likewise, Ireland’s campaign ended prematurely following the abandoned fixture.
Australia sit third in the group with one win and two defeats. Even if they beat Oman in their final match, they would only reach four points, still behind Zimbabwe’s tally after the rain-affected result. Meanwhile, Ireland finished with one win, two losses and one no result from four matches, ending on three points overall.
Strong early wins power Zimbabwe’s campaign
Zimbabwe have impressed throughout the tournament, winning their first two group-stage matches. In their opener, they restricted Oman to 103 and comfortably chased the target in 13.3 overs while losing just two wickets. Then, against Australia, Zimbabwe posted 169-2 in 20 overs and defended the total convincingly, bowling Australia out for 146 to secure a 23-run victory.
Looking ahead, Zimbabwe, led by Raza, will face Sri Lanka in their final group-stage match on Thursday in Colombo.
