Two-time world champions West Indies got their T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 stage off to a winning start on Monday, as they thumped Zimbabwe by 107 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. In the process, West Indies are unbeaten in the tournament, winning five matches on the trot.
Zimbabwe were all out for 147 in 17.4 overs in reply to West Indies’ mammoth total of 254/6. With this win, the net run rate (NRR) of West Indies shot up to +5.350. Both West Indies and South Africa (+3.800) have same points but Windies are on top of the table due to better NRR.
It also puts Indian in a tough situation as the defending champions will have to win their remaining games by huge margins to boost their NRR and also hope other results go their way.
T20 World Cup 2026 Group 1 Super 8 standings after ZIM vs WI
| team | Matches played | Won | Lost | NR | points | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Indies | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +5.350 |
| South Africa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +3.800 |
| India | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -3.800 |
| Zimbabwe | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -5.350 |
Semifinal chances of all teams in Group 1
West Indies (1st place, 2 points)
Remaining matches: vs South Africa (26 February), vs India (1 March)
A huge 107-run win over Zimbabwe means that West Indies have a superior NRR (+5.350) than any other team in the group. A win over South Africa in Ahmedabad in three days should virtually help the Windies seal a semifinal spot. Even if they lose to India, a superior NRR will make West Indies favorites to advance.
South Africa (2nd place, 2 points)
Remaining matches: vs West Indies (26 February), vs Zimbabwe (1 March)
Should South Africa beat West Indies on Thursday, the Proteas will all but go through to the semifinals. Should they lose to West Indies, but beat Zimbabwe, then South Africa will have four points from three games. This means that they would have to rely on NRR, especially if India win both their remaining matches and earn four points.
India (3rd place, 0 points)
Remaining matches: vs Zimbabwe (26 February), vs West Indies (1 March)
Their 76-run loss to South Africa in Ahmedabad on Sunday means that India have to beat both Zimbabwe and West Indies by huge margins. A loss in either of the matches will draw curtains on the T20 World Cup 2026 campaign. India would also want South Africa to win all their remaining matches. This would mean South Africa have six points, and India four, and thus these two teams would potentially qualify for the semi-finals.
Zimbabwe (4th place, 0 points)
Remaining matches: vs India (26 February), vs South Africa (1 March)
A 107-run loss to West Indies means that Zimbabwe’s NRR is at a lowly -5.350. They will need a miracle to qualify for the semifinals. They will need to beat both India and South Africa by big margins, and hope other results go their way.
What happened in Zimbabwe vs West Indies?
Earlier, West Indies welcomed Zimbabwe’s decision to field first with open arms, as they amassed a total of 254/6 from 20 overs – the second-highest total in the history of the T20 World Cup and the highest in this edition.
Shimron Hetmyer, who slammed a fifty in record time (19 balls) for West Indies, slammed 85 runs from 34 balls, whereas Rovman Powell scored 59 runs from 35 balls. West Indies lost Brandon King in the third over, and were 17/1 at that point. The Caribbean side then lost their skipper Shai Hope just before the end of the powerplay.
However, Hetmyer and Powell added 122 runs from 52 balls for the third wicket. That partnership led the platform for the Windies to post a huge total. Sherfane Rutherford (31 not out), Romario Shepherd (21) and Jason Holder (13) also made noteworthy contributions.
In reply, Zimbabwe succumbed to pressure and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. From 20/3, they were further down to 94/6, before being bowled out for 147. Gudakesh Motie was the pick of the bowlers for West Indies with 4/28 from four overs.
