Across Kolkata, Colombo and Chennai, the day brought an unbeaten group-stage finish for two sides heading into the Super Eights with momentum, and a final burst of class from Afghanistan that underlined the depth of their white-ball talent.
In Colombo, Zimbabwe capped their dream group campaign by chasing down 179 to beat co-hosts Sri Lanka by six wickets with three balls remaining, finishing unbeaten and top of Group B.
Sri Lanka’s 178/7 had been set up by their familiar template: rapid powerplay intent and Pathum Nissanka’s control through the middle. Nissanka top-scored with 62 (41 balls), also moving past Kusal Mendis to become Sri Lanka’s leading T20I run-scorer, before Zimbabwe’s spinners and cutters pulled the innings back. Graeme Cremer’s 2/27 helped turn the screws as Sri Lanka slipped from 100/2 to 123/4, and Brad Evans struck twice in the 19th over to prevent a late avalanche.
Zimbabwe’s chase had shape from the start: Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani put on 69 in 8.3 overs, a partnership that ensured the required rate never became an emergency. When Marumani and Ryan Burl fell in quick succession and the innings stalled, captain Sikandar Raza delivered the defining surge – 45 off 26, including a 20-run over that flipped the chase back in Zimbabwe’s favour. Bennett, unbeaten again, finished the job with a calm 63 off 48*, steering Zimbabwe to 182/4 in 19.3 overs.
It is the kind of win that marks a side as more than a fairytale: Zimbabwe have now navigated a group that included Australia and Sri Lanka without losing, and they enter the Super Eights not as passengers but as genuine disrupters.
At Eden Gardens, West Indies completed a flawless group stage with a 42-run win over Italy, ending unbeaten in Group C after defending 165/6.
Italy deserve credit for keeping the West Indies from running away early. Their spinners – Crishan Kalugamage (2/25) and Benjamin Manenti (2/37) – bowled with discipline and forced West Indies to build rather than blitz. But West Indies had the one thing that makes measured innings possible: an anchor who can still score at a premium. Captain Shai Hope struck 75 off 46 with six fours and four sixes, holding the innings together as wickets fell around him.
Chasing 166, Italy never found the opening rhythm they needed. West Indies’ pace was simply too heavy: Shamar Joseph tore through the middle with 4/30, while Matthew Forde backed him superbly with 3/19, ensuring Italy were bowled out for 123 in 18 overs.
Four wins from four doesn’t guarantee trophies, but it does confirm something important: West Indies are travelling into the Super Eights with both power and control – two qualities that rarely coexist for long in T20 cricket unless a side is properly balanced.
In Chennai, Afghanistan signed off their campaign with an emphatic 82-run win over Canada, posting 200/4 and restricting Canada to 118/8.
The innings belonged to Ibrahim Zadran, who carried his bat for 95 off 56, a personal best and, the highest Afghan score of this edition. His 95-run partnership with Sediqullah Atal (44) provided the platform for a late surge, even as Canada’s Jaskaran Singh returned a hard-earned 3/52.
Canada began brightly, but Afghanistan’s bowling had a veteran’s ruthlessness. Mohammad Nabi produced a classic spell of 4/7 cutting through the chase and removing any realistic hope of a pursuit.
Afghanistan will not be there for the next stage, but the manner of this victory – domination with bat and ball, ensured their tournament ended with the clarity of a side that knows its best cricket is never far away.
