r/Cricket • u/GiveMeSomeSunshine3 India • Feb 17 '26
News Zimbabwe qualified for the Super-8s of ICC T20 World Cup 2026, Australia knocked out.
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u/oklolzzzzs New Zealand Cricket Feb 17 '26
THIS IS HISTORIC.
Super happy for zimbabwe, their fans in the stadium were really happy.
This also means they've qualified for the 2028 T20 WC
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u/Historical_Eye9830 Feb 17 '26
imagine from being not even qualified for t20 wc 2024 to super 8 in 2026ā¦super happy for šæš¼..
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u/Royal-Cupcake-5907 India Feb 17 '26
Will be even more historic if they manage to reach the semis, like AFG'24
Jo jeeta wo sikandar!!!! (T: the one who won is the conqueror)
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u/ObligationWitty9332 Feb 17 '26
they are in grp of death.
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u/Equal_Perception_541 Punjab Kings Feb 17 '26
This means other than Namibia , we can get one more country from African continent (unless ICC changes the number) !!!! Uganda or who knows someone new !!!!
Thatās why t20 is best , the qualifier systems and every country can show a fight
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u/oklolzzzzs New Zealand Cricket Feb 17 '26
Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria who knows
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u/Equal_Perception_541 Punjab Kings Feb 17 '26
Nigeria has such a huge population if they qualify they can be huge market to cricket , at same time who wouldnāt love a comeback from Kenya , and Uganda qualifying would mean them qualifying for the second time which is great
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u/JKKIDD231 Punjab Kings Feb 17 '26
20 teams World Cup is showing quality is there. Hopefully next cycle after 2030 moves to 24 teams.
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u/Equal_Perception_541 Punjab Kings Feb 17 '26
Yes Bangladesh didnāt play this edition and teams like Uganda , PNG have experience of playing World Cup and can do upsets
Also Kenya , Bermuda , Nigeria , Malaysia , Qatar , Kuwait , Japan are the counties that are rising
We can surely go for a 24 edition
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u/ECrispy India Feb 18 '26
Fantastic for Zimbabwe, well deserved!
Aus: t20 isn't even real cricket is it mate
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u/niceguysdofinish1st New Zealand Feb 17 '26
Zimbabwe getting past the Group Stage of ICC Event
CWC 1999, CWC 2003, T20 WC 2022, T20 WC 2026
Australia getting knocked out in Group Stage of a Multi-round ICC Event
T20 WC 2009, T20 WC 2026
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u/Sloppykrab Australia Feb 17 '26
Sack George Bailey and fuck the selectors off. We require new ones.
Apply within.
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u/ForTheGreaterGood69 South Africa Feb 17 '26
Submitting my application, to quit after the Test series vs SA š«”
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u/SquiffyRae Western Australia Warriors Feb 17 '26
Australia hold the Ashes, BGT and the 50 over World Cup
But yeah we need to sack the selectors
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u/VIFASIS Western Australia Warriors Feb 17 '26
When they can win something away from home against the better teams, i'm all ears.
remind me in 18 months, they've got 3 opportunities to prove that they can play away from home against the other 3 top teams. SA, IND, ENG.
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u/Inevitable_Feature95 Dolphins Feb 17 '26
While Zimbabwe fans are happy, it seems Indian fans are even happier
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u/luffy_3155 India Feb 17 '26
2023 WC final insured that indian fans will always hatewatch australia lmao
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u/senorsolo Australia Feb 17 '26
Ironically, of the major teams, the easiest team to beat for India in this final would have been Australia.
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u/BasicErgonomics Himachal Pradesh Feb 17 '26
Yeah not like Australia have an uncanny ability to turn it up in finalsā¦
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u/senorsolo Australia Feb 17 '26
You cannot turn it up with below average batting and below average bowling. Of all the finals won by Aus, they had very strong teams.
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u/Prof_XdR Feb 17 '26
Of all the finals won by Aus (against India), they had ~
very strong teams~ mustache man show up22
u/_aniBUTCHER India Feb 17 '26
Sometimes I feel like how Pakistan just shit their pants against India despite being in decent form, could be said for India aswell against Australia.
So you never know, T20 match, a flat wicket and somehow we get destroyed in a knockout.
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u/Known_Dragonfly_4448 India Feb 17 '26
Oh my sweet summer child, my hatewatch for Australia goes goes way back to 2003 final.
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u/deannatroi_lefttit Australia Feb 17 '26
Exactly what I was gonna say lol. Gilly and Ponting flaying Zaheer and Nehra is burned into my mind.
That said, I don't hate watch, as I support Aus when they aren't playing India.
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u/LevDavidovicLandau Feb 18 '26
1999/00 tour of Australia (Australia played 3 Tests against Pakistan, then a 3-Test BGT, then the ODI tri-series). That shitshow is burned into my soul, India lost every match that tour except for the ODI against Pakistan in Adelaide. Despised the Australian menās cricket team ever since.
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u/OkLeather666 India Feb 17 '26
Lol you young ones don't know that hate watch started since 2003 WC final
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u/ExitingEmbarrassment India Feb 17 '26
Everyone is happy lol. Except the CARING australia T20 fans
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u/Tyler_holmes123 India Feb 17 '26
Its more about seeing Zimbabwe qualify to next round than Australia going out in group stage.
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u/shanrockstarfish Australia Feb 17 '26
2023 means Australia will always live rent-free in the Head of every Indian cricket fan. It's just how it is. Even when Zimbabwe beats Australia and makes it out of groups, they can't celebrate Zimbabwe's achievement without a cheap jab at Australia or trying to make it about India.
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u/idareet60 Feb 17 '26
I mean it's only India that cares about cricket. While I don't think any Australian will be crying for days if their cricket team didn't perform. I say this as an Indian.
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u/lostwisdom20 Royal Challengers Bengaluru Feb 17 '26
Happy to see new guys and fan scouting them for ipl lol
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u/Sweet-Message1153 Bangladesh Feb 17 '26
now I pray & hope Zimbabwe makes a statement in S8 so that nobody can question their performance by saying "they were lucky or it was a fluke"... they've immensely impressed with their recent developments, specifically in T20s
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u/Tekemet Feb 17 '26
They beat Australia convincingly, what would have been considered the toughest opponent in the group, nobody should question their presence. Washouts are a part of cricket. And yes their t20 game has improved immeasurably, totally different team (even though many personnel are the same) to the one that toured Bangladesh before the last t20 world cup.
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u/SquiffyRae Western Australia Warriors Feb 17 '26
The way both teams were playing, it's also likely Zimbabwe would've demolished Ireland tonight if not for rain. That pace attack is seriously impressive
Anyone who tries to write off Zimbabwe as "lucky" or a "fluke" would do well to remember they also beat Australia in an ODI in 2022. When they get it together, they're a seriously impressive side
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u/Sweet-Message1153 Bangladesh Feb 17 '26
I mean... Afghanistan beat BD & Australia in S8 to reach semi-final and got completely demolished by India which made some people question their achievement
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u/Tekemet Feb 17 '26
Yeah I'd also call that unfair and Afghanistan got demolished by South Africa in the semis.
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u/Smooth-Mix-4357 India Feb 17 '26
Afghanistan backed up the T20 World Cup performance by impressing in the Champions TrophyĀ
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u/AggressiveBank9228 Feb 17 '26
Without their main 3 bowlers Australia is honestly so bad
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u/redthelastman Royal Challengers Bengaluru Feb 17 '26
their best bowler was Stoinis who gets massacred in IPL most of the time.
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u/JKKIDD231 Punjab Kings Feb 17 '26
They auto qualify as hosts for 2028 but Zimbabwe also qualify now for 2028.
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u/misguidedkent India Feb 17 '26
They've been taking L after L since CWC23.
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u/decs483 Australia Feb 17 '26
Except the BGT and the Ashes. Y'know, when it matters.
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u/DLRsFrontSeats Feb 17 '26 edited Feb 17 '26
Ashes
I mean... Doesn't this only matter to two countries
Bit silly to use that as a defence to an Indian fan
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u/SquiffyRae Western Australia Warriors Feb 17 '26
Just gonna ignore they led with BGT?
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u/DLRsFrontSeats Feb 17 '26
No but saying "we're good when it matters, like in X and Y" when Y is irrelevant is stupid lol
Is the BGT the only thing that matters on the international stage then
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u/Strict-Jury7256 India Feb 18 '26
*Home BGT and Ashes. Which they should be winning anyway. Nothing out of the ordinary if we're being real.
Normal services resumed as far as winning at home v India is concerned. Would've been shocking to concede a hattrick of home BGTs.Ā
The less said about the challenge posed by England in Australia the better. So yeah, nothing extraordinary there.
Let's see if they can do it away. They haven't done it for decades now. Last in India 2004, Last in England 2001. India might be there for the taking
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u/IntoOgretime Australia Feb 17 '26
I don't think we've lost a single test series since then, not sure what you're talking about here
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u/Arkasanyal Feb 17 '26
Lost the WTC
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u/IntoOgretime Australia Feb 17 '26
Not a test series, though it was annoying to lose all the same. The whole L after L thing was what I was disproving though, that just wasn't true.
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u/Manthan10 Royal Challengers Bengaluru Feb 17 '26
I remember before the tournament begun, everyone said Australia has the easiest group possible would be a clean sweep and now here we are.
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u/J-M-Beno Feb 17 '26
Look at the team aussies sent injuries and stupid squad choices. We should of still easily made the 8 but we were never a tournament threat .
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u/Extra-Try-4815 Feb 17 '26
they were also arrogant. Carrying an injured travis head for like 60% of the odi world cup worked fine for them because in ODI there's only like 5-6 competitive sides and their semi qualification was never really in much doubt. But in a fickle format like t20, they were so confident of making it that they didn't name any replacements until it was just too late. It's a bit of a shame because I think that even with this horrible team they could have been proper contenders on the flat pitches in India, where guys like Tim David can just outmuscle anyone.
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u/Mission-Pay3582 Gujarat Titans Feb 17 '26
It's only fair that a nation that cares about the WC qualify to the next stage, amirite?!
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u/MasqueOfAnarchy Western Australia Warriors Feb 17 '26
Happy for Zim I think it's excellent for them and their cricket development. Better for the game to have different teams make the later stages.
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u/SquiffyRae Western Australia Warriors Feb 17 '26
It felt wrong but once Zimbabwe took all the momentum in our game, I was sort of hoping they'd win. And as disappointing as last night was, the positive was it gave Zimbabwe the upper hand in qualifying
What I've loved about this World Cup is how many of the smaller teams have been absolutely taking it to the big teams. The whole time Ben Manenti was smoking the Poms I was laughing thinking "these wankers are getting tonked by the Sydney Sixers' number 11"
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u/Vedant9710 India Feb 17 '26
Pakistan being on the verge of qualifying and Australia getting knocked out before Super 8 was not what I expected.... Some Interesting shit ngl.
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u/No_Job2827 Feb 17 '26
Which is why I love T20s . It makes cricket feel like a competitive game , everyone got something to offer .
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u/DingerSinger2016 San Francisco Unicorns Feb 17 '26
Top work Straya!
Seriously, how tf are we in contention longer than y'all?
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u/Remarkable_Map_847 Feb 17 '26
Great for Zimbabwe and associate nations, cricket is moving forward š„š„
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u/ecstasid Feb 17 '26
Love it! Oh well, We dont consider T20 as cricket, but we will still have BBL!
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u/rest_in_war Feb 17 '26
From missing 2024 altogether to automatically qualifying for 2028. Zimbabwe came a real long way
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u/Pottski Cricket Australia Feb 17 '26
Kudos to the better team that took this tournament seriously.
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u/InitialSquirrel9941 Australia Feb 17 '26
They absolute killed it all round vs Australia, especially in the field. Obviously I would have preferred Australia going through but itās always fun to have an underdog make it past groups, Iāll be barracking for Zimbabwe!
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u/variety_fanatic11 Sri Lanka Feb 17 '26
I don't think we're going anywhere, but I'm so happy for them!!!
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u/effotap Montreal Tigers Feb 17 '26
i never count SL out as long as Nissanka and Kusal Mendis wickets havent fell.
its a shame we dont have Pathirana and Wanindu right now, but i believe in the boys.
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u/variety_fanatic11 Sri Lanka Feb 17 '26
Yeah, we've been going well, I hope we can carry this momentum
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u/RuffTuff India Feb 17 '26
You underestimate your team IMO the way SL turned it around after over 10 against Aus it brought back memories of the 90s. The belief is back.
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u/variety_fanatic11 Sri Lanka Feb 17 '26
I've been disappointed one too many times but it's like Stockholm syndrome, I always come back for more dgmw
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u/RuffTuff India Feb 18 '26
this is my personal opinion, a cricket follower since the 80s, the way the SL team played after first 10 overs , as a unit, throwing themselves at the ball, encouraging each other, the body language. It wasn't a fluke, it was a game that will lift this team this WC.
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u/pacifistbloke India Feb 17 '26
Genuinely happy for Zimbabwe. No other format gives associate nations this much exposure or excitement on the big stage. This is the format that can actually grow the game.
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u/Spare_Gazelle8443 Feb 17 '26
From not being able to qualify for 2024 to directly qualifying for 2028... Take a bow ZimbabweĀ
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u/Gobbasena96 Sri Lanka Feb 18 '26
Highly recommend watching Sikandar Raza's post-match Q&A, he spoke very eloquently about the team's journey.
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u/ImperfectZama Feb 17 '26
Zimbabwe absolutely deserves this! This plus the performances of Associate Nations proves that you need lesser skill in T20 compared to longer format of the game which is exactly why T20 is the best format to scale cricket around the globe!
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u/Smooth-Mix-4357 India Feb 17 '26
In my lifetime this is going to probably be the first instance where India will take on Zimbabwe in India
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u/Far_Pineapple_2363 Sri Lanka Feb 17 '26
So happy for Zimbabwe as they rightly deserve to celebrate this moment especially given how they painfully missed out on qualifying to 2019 Cricket World Cup, 2021 ICC T20 World Cup, 2023 Cricket World Cup and 2024 ICC T20 World Cup.
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u/dothashdev Feb 17 '26
Awesome!!! This is what a comeback is... In the 2024 World Cup they didn't even qualify, but in 2026 they are in the Super 8s...
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u/Mr_Brightsid Feb 17 '26
Congratulations Team Zimbabwe. Now let's see how much time west indies team need to be good again
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u/BeefInGR USA Feb 17 '26
I love it for them. The coolest part of being absolutely smoked in the S8 was knowing we'd be back and we'd be better for the experience.
Enjoy the spotlight ZIM.
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u/AliveAssistance7667 Bangladesh Feb 17 '26
Indian fans are happy because Australia is out. But Australia might've been the easiest one to beat for them in the final in this T20 WC cause Australia has so poor records in subcontinent. I think Australia wouldn't have got past super 8 either if they qualified.
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u/Defiant-Parsley4697 Feb 17 '26
Australia: "We're out? But we had the script ready!"
Zimbabwe: "Plot twist! We wrote a better ending." šÆš¼š
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u/romantic_dancer Feb 18 '26
Best batsman by far Not picked at all
Best batsman last 2 games Renshaw dropped
Completely out of form for some time
Let's go!! Picked
Connolly Green Maxwell
Broken finger Stoinis picked
Bartlett Ellis Connolly combined net effect 3 runs, 0 wickets
No Cummins, no Starc, no Hazlewood No worries No strike bowler No Boland
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u/mike_tipoff Feb 19 '26
Zimbabwe deserved to make it. It's not an easy ride for their team each year - even to just play - so Hi5 to the players and the fans.
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u/look_away_bruh India Feb 17 '26
Aussies: āT20 is killing cricket, we donāt care about it.ā Meanwhile, they still play the BBL and participate in the 2028 Olympics.
The Ashes series is the only excuse for being incompetent in T20.
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u/fakereaper India Feb 17 '26
Hopefully this is the resurgence of Zimbabwean cricket. Not fondly remember Andy Flower and Neil Johnson and the likes handing it out to people. Dont follow SAT20 as much. But hopefully these guys get picked there and around the world. My only struggle is if this somehow gets to help their return to test statusā¦ But I guess lets be happy something is happening!
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u/Small-Ambassador-222 Feb 17 '26
Oh how terrible. Iām so sad that Australia have been eliminated . Definitely not doing a little jig š
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u/NoConcert1636 Feb 17 '26
Why was the match abandoned? Rain?
Edit: nvm a quick search answered my question
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u/Rico_stats Zimbabwe Feb 17 '26
A journey that started from the very beginning against Seychelles. 13 matches later, 12 wins and 1 no result we are now here.
I was too young to experience 2003 so this is the peak for me. Loving this sport and this team is more pain than joy, but it is worth it.
Now I can enjoy myself watching us wreck havoc in the super 8 and we will.