T20 World Cup: Hetmyer, Powell lead Caribbean carnival at the Wankhede
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T20 World Cup: Hetmyer, Powell lead Caribbean carnival at the Wankhede


T20 World Cup: Hetmyer, Powell lead Caribbean carnival at the Wankhede

Shimron Hetmyer in action against Zimbabwe.
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini

Shimron Hetmyer was searing. Rovman Powell was remorseless. And when the all-rounders muscled in, West Indies turned the Super Eight Group 1 clash into a carnival of Caribbean carnage, clubbing Zimbabwe into submission at the Wankhede Stadium on a manic Monday night.

Powered by a 122-run partnership off just 52 balls between Hetmyer (85, 34b, 7×4, 7×6) and Powell (59, 35b, 4×4, 4×6), West Indies racked up a gargantuan 254 for six — the second-highest total in Men’s T20 World Cup history. Zimbabwe, burdened by the asking rate and the occasion, wilted in reply and was bundled out for 147 in 17.4 overs. The two-time champion won by 107 runs even as Brad Evans waged a lone battle with a 21-ball 43.

When Sikandar Raza opted to chase, he would have hoped the in-form Blessing Muzarabani and the returning Richard Ngarava would exploit the evening sea breeze. And there was an early opening. Had Tashinga Musekiwa held on to a chance at deep square-leg in the fourth over off Muzarabani, Hetmyer’s evening would have been cut short. and Zimbabwe may have put West Indies under pressureInstead, the left-hander unleashed mayhem.

Hetmyer transformed the middle overs into a highlight reel of leg-side brutality, his 108-metre six off Raza — which clattered into the North Stand’s top tier railing — the standout strike of the night. Powell, patient for his first 20 deliveries, then joined the range-hitting revelry with ruthless precision.

West Indies plundered 19 sixes and 16 fours. Raza, who also copped a blow on his non-bowling palm, endured a torrid spell. Only three overs — the first two and the 11th — passed without a boundary. If the first 10 overs yielded 115 runs, the last 10 produced a whopping 139.

With scoreboard pressure sky-high, Zimbabwe unravelled. Left-arm spin twins Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie methodically dismantled the chase, as desperate strokes replaced disciplined intent.

For Zimbabwe, it was a harsh initiation into the Super Eight, while for the West Indies, it was a statement steeped in swagger.

The scores: West Indies 254/6 in 20 overs (Shimron Hetmyer 85, Rovman Powell 59, Sherfane Rutherford 31 n.o., Richard Ngarava 2/47, Blessing Muzarabani 2/42) bt Zimbabwe 147 in 17.4 overs (Brad Evans 43, Akeal Hosein 3/28, Matthew Forde 2/27, Gudakesh Motie 4/28).

Toss: Zimbabwe.

PoM: Hetmyer.

Published – February 23, 2026 11:18 pm IST


Record shattered! Shimron Hetmyer breaks Chris Gayle’s long-standing 17-year-old T20 World Cup milestone | Cricket News – The Times of India
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Record shattered! Shimron Hetmyer breaks Chris Gayle’s long-standing 17-year-old T20 World Cup milestone | Cricket News – The Times of India


Record shattered! Shimron Hetmyer breaks Chris Gayle’s long-standing 17-year-old T20 World Cup milestone | Cricket News – The Times of India
Shimron Hetmyer (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai witnessed a power-hitting masterclass as Shimron Hetmyer tore into the opposition attack with breathtaking ease. The left-hander unleashed a barrage of towering sixes, racing to a blistering half-century off just 19 balls and leaving the crowd stunned by his audacity and timing.With that knock, Hetmyer etched his name into West Indies cricket history.

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His 19-ball fifty is now the fastest by a West Indian in T20 World Cup history, surpassing the previous record held by the legendary Chris Gayle. Gayle had smashed a 23-ball half-century against Australia during the 2009 T20 World Cup at The Oval. On that occasion, Gayle hammered 88 off 50 balls, guiding West Indies to a seven-wicket win and earning the Player of the Match award for his brutal, match-winning effort.Hetmyer’s latest assault not only broke Gayle’s long-standing record but also bettered his own mark earlier in the tournament. The southpaw had previously struck a 22-ball fifty against Scotland at Eden Gardens, but his Wankhede blitz raised the bar even higher. Nineteen balls — that is all he needed to bring up a landmark half-century, underlining the fearless brand of cricket the Caribbean side is known for.While Hetmyer now holds the West Indies record, the overall fastest fifty in T20 World Cup history still belongs to India’s Yuvraj Singh. The swashbuckling left-hander famously blasted a 12-ball half-century against England in the inaugural 2007 edition, a knock highlighted by six consecutive sixes off Stuart Broad in a single over.

T20 World Cup – Fastest fifties

Player Balls Match Date
Yuvraj Singh 12 India v England 19/09/2007
Stephanus Myburgh 17 Netherlands v Ireland 21/03/2014
Marcus Stoinis 17 Australia v Sri Lanka 25/10/2022
Glenn Maxwell 18 Australia v Pakistan 23/03/2014
KL Rahul 18 India v Scotland 05/11/2021
Shoaib Malik 18 Pakistan v Scotland 07/11/2021
Rohit Sharma 19 India v Australia 24/06/2024
Dasun Shanaka 19 Sri Lanka v Oman 12/02/2026
Aiden Markram 19 South Africa v New Zealand 14/02/2026
Mohammad Ashraful 20 Bangladesh v West Indies 13/09/2007
Yuvraj Singh 20 India v Australia 22/09/2007
Shadab Khan 20 Pakistan v South Africa 03/11/2022
Ishan Kishan 20 India v Namibia 12/02/2026
Mahela Jayawardene 21 Sri Lanka v Kenya 14/09/2007
Elton Chigumbura 21 Zimbabwe v UAE 21/03/2014
Quinton de Kock 21 South Africa v England 18/03/2016
Litton Das 21 Bangladesh v India 02/11/2022
William Jacks 21 England v Italy 16/02/2026
Michael Hussey 22 Australia v Pakistan 14/05/2010
Aaron Jones 22 USA v Canada 01/06/2024
Quinton de Kock 22 South Africa v England 21/06/2024
Glenn Phillips 22 New Zealand v Canada 17/02/2026
Benjamin Manenti 22 Italy v England 16/02/2026
Chris Gayle 23 West Indies v Australia 06/06/2009


WI vs ZIM: West Indies’ six-appeal meets Zimbabwean steel | Cricket News – The Times of India
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WI vs ZIM: West Indies’ six-appeal meets Zimbabwean steel | Cricket News – The Times of India


WI vs ZIM: West Indies’ six-appeal meets Zimbabwean steel | Cricket News – The Times of India
West Indies players in Mumbai. (AP Photo)

MUMBAI: “The team is in a good space,” a confident West Indies coach Daren Sammy said on the eve of their Super Eights Group 1 match against Zimbabwe at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Sammy was in a happy mood on Sunday afternoon as his players trained in the nets for close to two-and-a-half hours. West Indies topped their group by winning all four matches, with different players contributing at key moments.

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The Men-in-Maroon may have found the going tough in Tests and ODIs, but their calling is T20 cricket as their players are some of the hottest properties across major franchise leagues all over the world. They have won the T20 World Cup in 2012 and 2016. But their form has dipped in the last two editions as they have managed to win only two matches in 2022 and 2024. Their build-up to the World Cup also included series defeats to New Zealand, Nepal,Afghanistan and South Africa.Back in India, where West Indies won their last title in 2016 with Sammy as captain, the team is in a happy space as their players are familiar with the conditions due to most of them playing in the IPL. The Windies have also shown the needed mental toughness to secure wins in a format where there is little to separate teams. The two-time champs have been content with the underdogs tag and have progressed smoothly through a tricky group in which every team has won at least one match.Their secret sauce has been different players putting in match-winning performances during the group stage. Shimron Hetmyer (64, 36b) and Romario Shepherd (5/20) helped them beat Scotland. Shepherd, who missed the last two games due to injury, was available for the Zimbabwe match. Sherfane Rutherford (76*, 42b) and a collective bowling effort led by Gudakesh Motie (3/33) helped them defeat England. Jason Holder (4/27) and Shai Hope (61*, 44b) starred in a win over Nepal, before Hope (74, 46b) and Shamar Joseph (4/30) helped them beat Italy.

WI vs ZIM

Zimbabwe also enter the Super Eights in strong form after topping their group, including wins over Australia and Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. They missed qualification for the last edition but have arrived in India with confidence. Zimbabwe, along with the showing of the emerging nations, have been the flavour of the tournament with the neutrals warming up to their exploits. Led by inspirational captain Sikandar Raza, they have found matchwinners like the young Brian Bennett, who is yet to be dismissed in the tournament and played crucial innings in the wins over Australia and Sri Lanka. Zimbabwe’s bowling has been a key strength too, with Blessing Muzarabani leading with nine wickets so far, supported by Graeme Cremer and Brad Evans.West Indies and Zimbabwe last played against each other in the 2022 edition in Australia, with West Indies winning by 31 runs. Zimbabwe’s challenge though will be adapting quickly to conditions at the Wankhede, which has offered assistance to the bowlers.