The Zimbabwean captain Sikandar Raza led from the front as the team advanced into the Super-8, defeating the likes of oppositions like Australia. On the other hand, the West Indies have also been in commanding form in the format after a long time. The Windies, led by Shai Hope, are a revamped XI, and several stars, including Shimron Hetmyer and Sherfane Rutherford, have outclassed others in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
They have been placed in the same group alongside India and South Africa. While Zimbabwe passed on to the next stage from Group C, the West Indies topped the group stage from Group B after having defeated England as well.
The 44th match in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Super-8 clash will mark the ZIM vs WI clash in Mumbai. The following article contains a detailed view of the head-to-head records, probable playing XIs, live streaming details, watcher and pitch report. at the Wankhede Stadium.
ZIM vs WI Preview, Match-44, Super 8 Group 1:
Match Details:
Match Date: The 44th match of the T20 World Cup 2026 will be played on Monday, February 23rd, 2026.
Venue: The match will take place at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
Time: The match is scheduled to start at 7:00 PM IST.
ZIM vs WI Squads:
Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Dion Myers, Ben Curran, Sikandar Raza (c), Ryan Burl, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, Tony Munyonga, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa, and Graeme Cremer.
West Indies Squad: Shai Hope (C/WK), Shimron Hetmyer, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Brandon King, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Quentin Sampson, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Matthew Forde, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales, and Shamar Joseph.
ZIM vs WI Playing XIs:
Zimbabwe Probable XI: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (w), Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza (c), Ryan Burl, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Graeme Cremer, Blessing Muzarabani.
West Indies Playing XI: Brandon King, Shai Hope (C/WK), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph
ZIM vs WI Key Battles
Brian Bennett vs Jason Holder
Zimbabwean opener Brian Bennett has been one of the most consistent performers for Zimbabwe at the top of the innings. Bennett contributed significantly in the game against Australia as well and will be instrumental for them against the West Indies in their Super-8 clash.
Jason Holder has returned to be the West Indies’ highest wicket-taker in the ICC T20 World Cup. He recently also completed the 100 wickets for the West Indies and has taken up the new ball for the West Indies on all major occasions.
Sikandar Raza vs Gudakesh Motie
The Zimbabwean skipper Sikandar Raza has contributed significantly to them on their route to the World Cup. While Raza managed to bat exclusively against all opposition, he can also be effective with his off-spin against the West Indies batting order that is loaded with left-handers.
Gudakesh Motie, the left-arm orthodox spinner, is also a frontline wicket-taker for them. Zimbabwe have not shown any struggles against spin as of now; however, Motie is good at delivering with the ball.
Shimron Hetmyer vs Brad Evans
Shimron Hetmyer has been in some good form with the bat. His best performances came during this World Cup; except for the England game, he has not missed out on runs. However, he is enjoying his role at no. 3 for the West Indies.
Zimbabwean pacer Brad Evans has also been a serious wicket-taker. They have been picking more wickets than the spinners, despite their matches being played on the spin-friendly tracks of Sri Lanka. Evans can turn up the heat with the new ball, and Hetmyer will have a tough time against his controlled line and length.
Sherfane Rutherford vs Blessing Muzarabani
Sherfane Rutherford has stepped up for the Windies every time they needed him. He has made the ICC T20 World Cup a platform for himself to fire in. Rutherford scored two half-centuries coming into this contest and is crucial to the Windies in the middle phase of their innings.
Blessing Muzarabani, the Zimbabwean pacer, has been effective with both the new and the old ball. He has caught up on line and accuracy with the new ball and then picked wickets with subtle variations during the death overs.
ZIM vs WI Key Players
West Indies: Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Akeal Hosein, Sherfane Rutherford.
Zimbabwe: Sikandar Raza, Blessing Muzarabani, Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Brad Evans
ZIM vs WI Super-8 Match – Free Live Streaming and Telecast Details
TV Broadcast in India: The Zimbabwe vs West Indies Super-8 Match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network, which holds the rights for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India.
Online Live Streaming in India: This Super-8 clash will be live-streamed on the Jio Hotstar app and website.
ZIM vs WI Match No. 44 Weather Report, Pitch Report of Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
ZIM vs WI: Weather Report of Mumbai
Mumbai often accounts for a wide range of temperatures; however, the match is scheduled to be played later in the evening when the temperature will be around 30 degrees. Humidity is exceptionally high in this part of the city; however, the dew factor does not often pay off at this venue. Rains are not common during this time of the year in this part of the country. The Wankhede has experienced many such games with similar conditions.
ZIM vs WI: Pitch Report of Wankhede Stadium
The Wankhede Stadium pitch is usually good for batting. The surface is usually flat, and it offers great bounce, which helps batters to get underneath the ball. Spinners find some grip on the surface, while pacers have the advantage here, with the amount of lateral movement. This is usually a high-scoring turf, where the average score will be over 180 for any team batting first.
ZIM vs WI Head-to-Head Records:
The West Indies have been dominating the contest with Zimbabwe as their opposition. They have played just three times outside the ICC T20 World Cup, and the West Indies emerged victorious on two occasions.
In the ICC T20 World Cup, Zimbabwe clashed against the mighty men from the Caribbean in 2022. The West Indies side won the match by a margin of 31 runs.
| Stats | Matches | WI Won | ZIM Won | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| In T20 World Cups | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
ZIM vs WI Preview, Match-44, Super 8—Conclusion
Zimbabwe will clash against the West Indies in their first Super-8 game. Considering their good form, Zimbabwe have dominated the subcontinent tracks, but the West Indies will be the heavyweights with their immense experience in World Cups. Though Zimbabwe are through to the next stage, fighting off in the Super-8s would not be an easy task.
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