On Monday at the Wankhede Stadium, the two sides reunite under far different circumstances. Sikandar Raza’s Zimbabwe takes on the West Indies—with Sammy as the head coach—in the Super Eights of the Men’s T20 World Cup.
For two teams that spent much of the past decade labelled as international cricket’s also-rans, topping their respective groups and meeting at this stage marks a significant shift. It signals progress for both Caribbean and Zimbabwean cricket and underlines the expanding footprint of the T20 game beyond its traditional power centres.
READ: SL vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026: England starts Super Eights with crushing win over Sri Lanka
Zimbabwe has lived through a fairytale in this tournament—it bagged a stunning win over Australia to seal its Super Eights berth before underlining its credentials by beating co-host Sri Lanka to finish atop the group.
The challenge now is adaptation. Only Raza and left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza remain from the 2016 squad that last toured India. The transition from the slower, lower pitches in Sri Lanka to the typically flatter Wankhede surface will test the Chevrons’ adaptability. Unsurprisingly, despite the momentum, Zimbabwe will begin as the underdog.
It is also monitoring the fitness of left-arm pacer Richard Ngarava. West Indies, meanwhile, has been bolstered by the return of all-rounder Romario Shepherd, who missed the final two league matches with a niggle. Sammy confirmed Shepherd is available for selection, with the all-rounder bowling an extended spell in training on Sunday.
The West Indies may not have anticipated Zimbabwe in its Super Eights opener, but it has had time to recalibrate. The question now is whether Zimbabwe can script a third successive upset—or whether experience will prevail.
Published on Feb 22, 2026
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