Zimbabwe vs West Indies T20I: Raza’s All-Round Threat vs Windies’ Power Core

Wankhede Stadium so often makes T20 games come down to this – a very straightforward question, with a really firm answer: are you able to stay composed when the bowling gets quick?

On Monday, February 23rd, 2026 (at 7:00 PM IST), Zimbabwe and the West Indies play in Mumbai, in a Super 8 match which feels like people are voting on two absolutely unlike methods of succeeding in short-form cricket.

Zimbabwe have come to the tournament with the most inspiring story: speed in bowling, good control, and a captain – Sikandar Raza – who’s able to alter the course of the game twice, once using the bat, and once with the ball.

The West Indies bring to the tournament the most uncomplicated danger: allow them to stay in the match until the 12th over, then attempt to survive the final eight. They haven’t lost a game yet, and in every game so far they’ve scored 60 or more.

One team wants to slowly put you under pressure. The other wants to overwhelm you with force. At Wankhede, it’s possible to win using either of these approaches, and that’s what makes this evening genuinely threatening.

In Detail

The most obvious way to look at this Zimbabwe versus West Indies T20I is as a competition between control and uninhibited play.

Zimbabwe’s best cricket in this World Cup has been about getting a hold of the innings: early wickets with the new ball, economical overs in the middle of the innings, and a batting lineup which values spending time at the crease more than exciting shots. The West Indies have been winning by dramatically changing the game with just one period: a five-over period in which 45 becomes 75 and a reasonable total turns into a target that’s too difficult to reach.

This creates a match in which the score on the board might mislead you. 160 could be a good score at 16 overs, then feel quite small at 18. A chase can look as though it’s finished, then fall apart when a wicket means a new batter must face pace bowling.

The Raza Influence

Raza’s worth isn’t only that he performs well in both batting and bowling. It’s that he allows Zimbabwe to select and maintain a speed of play.

This isn’t a player who only comes in for a few balls; it’s a player who builds the whole match.

For Zimbabwe, his batting part is even more important at Wankhede. If the ball is going straight, he can hit it directly and powerfully. If the ball is gripping, he can hit it into the longer areas of the field and run as though he’s playing a One Day International. His best performances come when he doesn’t attempt sixes early; he gets 30 runs from 24 balls, then gets 25 from 10.

His bowling is the other part of the plan. On a ground where captains are frightened of spin bowling, Raza’s overs can feel like free control: balls aimed at the pitch, faster sliders, a line of bowling that forces you to hit sideways, where the danger is greater. When the West Indies include left-handed batters, his angle becomes a tactical advantage, not a disadvantage.

Zimbabwe’s game plan usually goes like this: take pace wickets early, then allow Raza and the supporting spin bowlers to make scoring feel irritating. The West Indies don’t mind irritating. They mind losing wickets just before they begin to attack.

Zimbabwe’s Hidden Strength

Zimbabwe’s success has been built around fast bowlers who don’t hesitate. Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans have been the stars, getting 17 wickets between them in the tournament so far.

This is important against a West Indies batting lineup which likes pace bowling when it’s predictable. Muzarabani’s height creates bounce which changes how batters choose their shots. Evans has used hard lengths and slower balls to force mishits into the deep. It isn’t about bowling “good balls” with every delivery; it’s about bowling enough deliveries to make the batter pause.

The other thing which isn’t fully appreciated: Zimbabwe have looked unusually secure with their own batting pace. They didn’t just just get through; they beat strong teams, and they did it without needing to get 30 runs in the last overs.

At the top of the order, Brian Bennett’s tournament has been the definition of calm pressure. Over three innings, he’s 175 not out at a strike rate of 125, and is still not out.

That unbeaten run is more than just a statistic. It means Zimbabwe keep wickets for the end, and it means Raza often gets to bat with a good base, rather than walking in at 3 for 2.

Windies’ Power

The West Indies have a well-known reputation in T20 cricket, but this campaign has been a little more effective than the usual idea of them. They haven’t only won with random hitting; they’ve had at least one batter score a lot of runs in every match, and they’ve supported that with a bowling attack which takes wickets.

Shai Hope has set the tone as captain, and his innings against Italy was a clear example of the West Indies’ current style. After early wickets, he still drove them to 165/6 with 75 runs from 46 balls.

Shimron Hetmyer has been the frightening middle-overs connection. When he’s in good form, the game changes shape in just a few deliveries: he can turn “don’t lose wickets” time into “we’re already at 150” time. He’s already shown he can win games in this tournament, including a quick 60-odd that shows how the West Indies side likes to be in front of the rate, though not by being foolish.

What the West Indies’ strongest players are about is this: they aren’t just three people looking to hit sixes, but a team which can put pressure on different bowlers at various points. One can soak things up, one can really lift the scoring, and one can finish.

What Wankhede Normally Favours

Indian fans won’t need telling about Wankhede. You’ve seen IPL games here where 200 doesn’t seem too much to get, and 150 doesn’t feel safe. The stats prove the feeling.

This affects how captains play in two ways:

• Bowlers who can slow the ball down without making it easy to hit become really important.
• Batters who can hit straight sixes without needing the ball wide of off stump are key.

For Zimbabwe, that means using cutters, a good hard length, and balls which go into the pitch. For the West Indies, it’s a green light to keep swinging at every ball once they’re in.

The toss will be important, but not a sure thing. If there’s a lot of dew, chasing is easier. If the ball holds a little, the side batting first could still win by getting over 185 and using changes of pace well in their bowling.

Previous Meetings

That history suggests the West Indies get enough runs, then defend with pace and a mix of bowling. Zimbabwe’s present side, however, looks better at avoiding that, mainly with Bennett’s calm and Raza’s two jobs.

Match-ups That Might Decide Things

The West Indies will try to make him take risks before he’s ready. If Zimbabwe get to the end of the powerplay at 45/1 rather than 30/2, the whole game changes, because Raza can then come in with options, not needing to rush.

If Raza gets through his spell for 24–26 with a wicket, Zimbabwe win a big part of the game without needing a miracle. If Hetmyer gets 15 off one over, the West Indies can turn a “normal” middle part of the innings into a launchpad for the end.

If Hope holds things together again, the West Indies can set up a late attack. If he goes out in the first six overs, the innings can still explode, but will be less stable.

Likely Teams and Roles to Watch

The teams listed for this game show what each side is planning to do. The West Indies – with Shai Hope, Brandon King, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd, Jayden Seales, and several more – possess plenty of options in batting, and a range of bowlers.

Zimbabwe’s selection contains Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Brad Evans, Ben Curran, Brian Bennett, Wellington Masakadza, and others; they have pace bowling, and a flexible batting line-up in the middle of the innings.

To an Indian fan, this looks a little like the IPL: the West Indies have the ability to hit boundaries, and Zimbabwe the determination to make every run. The team which makes the other play against its strengths will generally win.

A Little About Betting and Fantasy – Without Making it the Point

If you’re following this match with fantasy cricket or betting in mind, think of it as a game of stages, not of teams.

The West Indies are at their best in the later overs, so bowlers who can bowl well at the death, and middle-order batsmen, can change the result. Zimbabwe’s value is often in what their all-rounders do: Raza’s runs and overs and a catch can be worth more than a batsman’s 35. If you’re watching price movements or the chances of winning during the match, a single source – Fair Bet 7: – can give a good indication of how the market reacts to wickets and dew, and not just who was favourite before the match started.

How Zimbabwe and the West Indies Might Win This T20I

This match is very close, as both sides have already beaten good teams in this competition. Zimbabwe are a team where discipline is becoming confidence. The West Indies are a team where power is becoming normal.

At Wankhede, however, what is normal can still be surprised. One good over can do it. One bad over can do it too.

Important Points

• Sikandar Raza is an outstanding all-rounder: 2,958 T20I runs (strike rate 136.18) and 103 wickets (economy rate 6.76), and so gives Zimbabwe control in both batting and bowling.
• Zimbabwe’s fastest bowlers have been successful: Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans have 17 wickets between them in the tournament, and have set up a plan to take wickets in the powerplay.
• Brian Bennett is in good form and gives Zimbabwe stability: he has scored 175 not out in three innings (strike rate 125), meaning their middle order usually has a good start to build on.
• The West Indies have not been beaten yet, and keep getting good scores: Shai Hope’s 75 from 46 balls got them to 165/6 against Italy, and they have had someone score over 60 in every match so far.
• Wankhede is a ground where high scores are common, and where it is good to bat second: in the last eight T20Is, the team batting second has won five times, and the average first-innings score has been 191.