MUMBAI, India — The West Indies cricket team delivered a breathtaking performance on Monday, crushing Zimbabwe by a massive 107 runs in their Super Eights opener of the Twenty20 World Cup. This dominant display at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium showcased the Caribbean side’s formidable batting prowess and clinical bowling execution.
Shimron Hetmyer emerged as the undisputed star of the match, hammering an explosive 85 runs from just 34 deliveries. His spectacular innings, which included seven sixes and seven fours, propelled the West Indies to a monumental total of 254-6. This score stands as the second-highest in the history of the T20 World Cup tournament, surpassed only by Sri Lanka’s 260-6 against Kenya in 2007.
The match turned decisively when Zimbabwe’s Tashinga Musekiwa dropped a routine catch at deep fine leg with Hetmyer on just nine runs. The batsman capitalized mercilessly on this reprieve, racing to his half-century in merely 19 deliveries—equaling the tournament’s fastest fifty record set by South Africa’s Aiden Markram.
Hetmyer found able support from Rovman Powell, with the pair assembling a devastating 122-run partnership from just 52 balls. Powell contributed a brisk 59 from 35 deliveries before Sherfane Rutherford’s unbeaten 31 from 13 balls provided the final flourish. The West Indies’ batting onslaught saw 38 runs plundered from the final two overs, with Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder adding quick-fire contributions.
Zimbabwe’s response never gained momentum as their chase faltered immediately. Left-arm spinners Gudakesh Motie (4-28) and Akeal Hosein (3-28) dismantled the top order, reducing the surprise qualifiers to 20-3 within the third over. Despite a late counterattack from Brad Evans, who smashed 43 from 21 balls with five sixes, Zimbabwe were eventually dismissed for 147 in 17.4 overs.
West Indies captain Shai Hope praised the comprehensive team performance while maintaining perspective: ‘When everyone is firing like that, it’s a real joy to watch. It was a complete performance but you can always improve.’
Hetmyer, awarded Player of the Match, remained grounded despite his extraordinary achievement: ‘It does feel good to have achieved something like that, but as a team, we haven’t really accomplished anything yet. We’re taking it one game at a time.’
The victory establishes the West Indies as serious contenders as the tournament enters its crucial Super Eights phase, while Zimbabwe must regroup after their stunning run was halted so emphatically.