Oman chase down 188 in Colombo to beat Zimbabwe by four wickets ahead of T20 World Cup 2026 opener

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Oman head into the T20 World Cup 2026 with added confidence after registering a four-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in a warm-up match at the Colombo Cricket Club (CCC). Chasing a challenging target of 188, opener Jatinder Singh starred with a fluent 55 off 33 balls, while Jiten Ramanandi finished the chase in style with an unbeaten 34 off just 18 deliveries. The two sides will meet again in their opening match of the tournament proper at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) on February 9.

Oman’s chase began at a brisk pace, led by captain Aamir Kaleem, whose explosive 23 off 11 balls, including two fours and two sixes, set the tone early. Jatinder then anchored the innings, adding a crucial 79-run partnership for the second wicket with Hammad Mirza, who contributed a handy 35 off 25 balls. Their stand ensured Oman stayed ahead of the required rate before Ramanandi’s late cameo sealed the win with four balls to spare.

Earlier, after opting to bowl first, Oman saw Zimbabwe race out of the blocks. Brian Bennett was the standout, hammering 56 off just 28 balls in a dominant opening partnership of 86 with Brendan Taylor. However, Oman clawed their way back into the contest as Zimbabwe slipped to 94 for 5 by the 11th over, with Taylor retiring out on 26.

Tashinga Musekiwa then revived the innings with an aggressive unbeaten 54 off 28 balls. He added 43 runs for the sixth wicket with Dion Myers and a further 33 for the seventh with Brad Evans, lifting Zimbabwe to a competitive total of 187. Despite the late surge, the score proved insufficient as Oman completed the chase to clinch the warm-up victory.