Drama unfolds at Wankhede as T20 World Cup 2026 witnesses Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza call right at the toss against mighty West Indies. Choosing to bowl, Raza banks on pacers’ early swing and the ground’s chase-friendly stats.
A solitary tweak in each eleven: Ngarava in for Masakadza bolsters Zimbabwe’s attack. ‘Honored to battle champions here,’ Raza beamed. West Indies welcome back Romario Shepherd, benching Roston Chase for balance.
Hope concurred: ‘We’d have bowled too. Our Wankhede legacy is gold, but performance matters.’ The Caribbean unit eyes semifinals glory.
Recall Zimbabwe’s group stage fireworks: shock wins over Australia, Sri Lanka. Bennett’s 175 runs, including 63* vs SL, anchor them. Raza’s all-round mastery shines.
Bowling ace Muzarabani (9 wickets/3 games) is primed to strike first blows.
West Indies cruise unbeaten. Hope (155 runs/4 inns) leads from front. Hetmyer (134@159 SR) explodes. Holder-Joseph duo (7 wickets apiece) devastates; Motie spins webs.
Teams: WI – King, Hope*, Hetmyer, Powell, Rutherford, Holder, Shepherd, Forde, Hosein, Motie, Joseph. ZIM – Bennett, Marumani*, Burl, Raza^, Muskwewa, Munyonga, Myers, Evans, Cremer, Ngarava, Muzarabani. (*wk, ^c)
Two contrasting journeys collide: West Indies’ dominance vs Zimbabwe’s resilience. Wankhede’s roar awaits the winner.