Tournament organizers called off the Group B clash between Ireland and Zimbabwe at Pallekele on February 17 due to persistent rain, handing each team one point and officially booting Australia from Super 8 progression in T20 World Cup 2026.
Zimbabwe surges to second in the standings with five points, powered by back-to-back wins: an 8-wicket demolition of Oman and a shocking 23-run victory over Australia on February 13. Batting first, they reached 169/2, then skittled Australia for 146 in 19.3 overs. The defending contenders now have two losses from three games.
With Sri Lanka also qualifying, Group B’s Super 8 spots are locked. Australia’s final outing versus Oman on February 20 offers slim redemption, but victory yields just four points. Zimbabwe, already through, plays Sri Lanka on February 19 before Super 8 dates against West Indies (23rd), India (26th), and South Africa (March 1).
Rain has dramatically altered the brackets, rewarding Zimbabwe’s resilience and exposing Australia’s vulnerabilities in a high-stakes World Cup marred by Sri Lanka’s tricky weather.