Stand-in skipper Travis Head chose to bowl and announced two changes for his side
Australia captain Mitch Marsh will miss a second straight T20 World Cup match but master blaster Tim David has returned to the side to take on Zimbabwe in Colombo.
Left-arm quick Ben Dwarshuis has also replaced Xavier Bartlett in Australia’s final XI as stand-in skipper Travis Head won the toss and this time opted to bowl at R. Premadasa Stadium.
Spin-bowling allrounder Cooper Connolly makes way for David from the side that beat Ireland by 67-runs on Wednesday.
Australia XI: Travis Head (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Cameron Green, Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Matthew Kuhnemann
Ins: Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis. Outs: Cooper Connolly, Xavier Bartlett
Zimbabwe XI: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza (c), Ryan Burl, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Graeme Cremer, Blessing Muzarabani
Ins: Tony Munyonga, Graeme Cremer. Outs: Brendan Taylor, Richard Ngarava
Marsh is suffering from internal testicular bleeding after copping a painful blow to the groin area at training last Sunday, while David has recovered from a hamstring injury that saw him miss most of the Big Bash season.
No timeline has been set for the Aussie skipper’s return, which Cricket Australia said would be guided by “guided by symptom resolution and medical advice”, with Steve Smith set to arrive in Sri Lanka later tonight to join the squad as a standby player.
Wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis is again listed to open alongside Head as he did against Ireland, scoring 37 off 17 balls in the side’s thumping 67-run win.
“We’re used to a bit of chaos early in competitions like this, we’ve had it before,” Head said at the toss.
“We’re a really relaxed and calm group, we’re in a good space and we played well the other night (against Ireland) so the challenge now is to back up and put another good performance in.”
Zimbabwe have lost veteran wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor for the rest of the tournament after the 40-year-old retired hurt with what appeared a right hamstring complaint late in their first-up win over Oman.
He has been replaced behind the stumps by opener Tadiwanashe Marumani, with allrounder Tony Munyonga and spinner Graeme Cremer coming in and seamer Richard Ngarava left out as a precautionary measure after having scans over the previous couple of days.
Both Australia and Zimbabwe won their opening games of the tournament with today’s victor to join co-hosts Sri Lanka as the undefeated teams in Group B after they accounted for Oman on Thursday.
Australia have never beaten Zimbabwe in a T20 World Cup match, with Taylor part of their XI that downed Ricky Ponting’s side at the inaugural event in 2007, with the right-hander hitting an unbeaten 60 to lead their chase of 139 almost 20 years ago.
The African side have gone with an extra spinner for their second match of the tournament after pace trio Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans all took three wickets in their eight-wicket win over Oman on Monday.
Australia have stuck with two fast bowlers, Nathan Ellis and Dwarshuis for his World Cup debut, as well as spin pair Adam Zampa and Matthew Kuhnemann, with the attack to be supported by allrounders Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell.
2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
Australia squad: Mitch Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa. Travelling reserve: Sean Abbott, Steve Smith
Australia’s Group Stage fixtures
February 11: defeated Ireland by 67 runs
February 13: v Zimbabwe, R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo (4:30pm AEDT)
February 16: v Sri Lanka, Pallekele International Stadium, Kandy (Feb 17, 12:30am AEDT)
February 20: v Oman, Pallekele International Stadium, Kandy (Feb 21, 12:30am AEDT)
Australia’s Super Eight fixtures
(Assuming all seeded teams qualify)
February 23: Australia (X2) v West Indies (X3), Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai (Feb 24, 12:30am AEDT)
February 26: India (X1) v Australia (X2), MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai (Feb 27, 12:30am AEDT)
March 1: Australia (X2) v South Africa (X4), Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, 8:30pm AEDT
Click here for the full tournament schedule
All matches will be broadcast on Amazon’s Prime Video
