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Zimbabwe opener Brian Bennett overtook Hamilton Masakadza to become the team's fourth-highest run-getter in T20I history.
Bennett achieved this upward movement in the charts during his side's ICC T20 World Cup clash against Australia in Colombo, slamming a 56-ball 64 with seven fours, which proved crucial to their win over the 2021 T20 WC champions. In 54 T20Is, he has made 1,708 runs in 54 innings at an average of 34.16 and a strike rate of over 143, with a century and 10 fifties and a best score of 111. Masakadza had scored 1,662 runs in 66 T20Is and innings at an average of 25.96 and a strike rate of over 117, with 11 fifties and a best score of 93*. Sikandar Raza is the leading run-getter in T20Is for Zimbabwe, scoring 2,913 runs in 129 matches and 124 innings at an average of 26.00 and a strike rate of 135.74, with a century and 16 fifties and a best score of 133*. Coming to Zimbabwe's T20 World Cup campaign, they have got off to a fine start with two wins in two matches, with four points, with wins over Oman and, on Friday, a stunning victory over Australia. Australia elected to field first, and Zimbabwe started off well with a 61-run partnership between Tadiwanashe Marumani (35 in 21 balls, with seven fours) and Brian Bennett. Later on, a 70-run stand between Bennett (64 in 56 balls, with seven fours) and Ryan Burl (35 in 30 balls, with four boundaries) and skipper Sikandar Raza's cameo of 25* in 13 balls, with two fours and a six, took Zimbabwe to 169/2 in 20 overs, with Marcus Stoinis and Cam Green getting a wicket each. In the run-chase of 170 runs, Australia lost their first four wickets for just 29 runs, but a 77-run stand between Glenn Maxwell (31 in 32 balls, with a four and a six) and Matt Renshaw (65 in 44 balls, with seven fours and a six) brought Australia back in the hunt. However, Zimbabwe bowlers kept chipping away with regular wickets and bundled out Australia for 146 in 19.3 overs. Blessing Muzarabani (4/17 in four overs) and Brad Evans (3/23) were amongst the top bowlers for Zimbabwe, with Muzarabani getting home the 'Player of the Match' award. (ANI).
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