Just pause for a moment and consider the scale of Zimbabwe’s resurgence. This is a team that failed to qualify for the 2024 T20 World Cup after defeats to Namibia and Uganda in the African qualifying finals in 2023. They were forced into the sub-regional qualifiers, competing against the likes of Mozambique, Rwanda, Seychelles and Gambia simply to keep their global hopes alive. Less than three years later, Zimbabwe have topped their group at a T20 World Cup with four straight wins, including statement victories over Australia and co-hosts Sri Lanka, to march into the Super Eights.
It is, without question, one of the defining stories of this tournament.
Zimbabwe’s journey back to relevance has been neither linear nor comfortable. Their decline over the past decade featured a series of painful setbacks: failure to qualify for the 2019 ODI World Cup — their first absence from the event in 36 years — after losing to the UAE in a qualifying tournament they hosted; missing the 2021 T20 World Cup following an ICC suspension of Zimbabwe Cricket; and then falling short again in the race to the 2023 ODI World Cup after defeats to Sri Lanka and Scotland. For a proud cricketing nation that once consistently punched above its weight, these were humbling blows.
Yet adversity has forged clarity. By reaching the Super Eights in this tournament, Zimbabwe have not only revived their reputation but also secured qualification for the next two T20 World Cups in 2028. That assurance marks a dramatic turnaround from a period when their very presence at global events was uncertain.
Central to this revival has been leadership. Sikandar Raza has spoken about how the failure to qualify in 2024 triggered an internal reset — a shift in standards, preparation and belief. The results since then underline that transformation. Zimbabwe swept through their sub-regional qualifiers with five wins from five, followed it up with another 5-0 run in the African finals to seal their World Cup berth, and have since compiled an impressive list of T20 victories against established Full Members, including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Ireland, Australia and Sri Lanka.
The win over Australia at this World Cup stands out not merely for its symbolism but for its historical weight. It marked the first time since 2009 that an Australian side was eliminated in the opening round of an ICC tournament. Zimbabwe did not stumble upon that victory; they outplayed a heavyweight through discipline, composure and tactical awareness — hallmarks of a side that has rediscovered its identity.
This resurgence has also been collective. Experienced campaigners have blended seamlessly with emerging talent, creating a balanced unit capable of adapting to conditions and pressure. There is visible belief in their body language — not the tentative hope of underdogs, but the quiet conviction of a team that feels it belongs.
The Super Eights present a formidable challenge: West Indies in Mumbai, India in Chennai, and South Africa in Delhi. On paper, the odds remain stacked against them. But Zimbabwe’s campaign so far has been built on defying paper predictions. They were not expected to qualify. They were not expected to top their group. They were certainly not expected to eliminate Australia.
And yet, here they are — group toppers, battle-hardened and fearless. The question is no longer whether Zimbabwe belong at this level. It is whether this remarkable comeback story still has another chapter to write.
