Associates shine as Kiwis survive late USA scare ahead of T20 World Cup 2026
Day 4 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up fixtures delivered drama, upsets, and statement performances as Oman, Nepal, and New Zealand secured crucial wins to build momentum ahead of the tournament opener on February 7.
Eight teams were in action across venues, with associate nations flexing their muscle and traditional powers forced into tight contests.
Rain also played spoilsport in Colombo, washing out the Australia–Netherlands clash.
Oman stun Zimbabwe in last-over thriller
Oman pulled off the surprise of the day with a thrilling last-over win against Test nation Zimbabwe in a high-scoring contest.
Brian Bennett’s explosive 56 off 28 balls powered Zimbabwe to early dominance before middle-order stutters dragged them to 94/5.
A late assault from Tashinga Musekiwa, who hammered 54 off 28, lifted Zimbabwe to a competitive 187/7, while Sufyan Mehmood impressed with 3/22.
Oman’s chase was built around Jatinder Singh’s fluent 55 and finished in style by Jiten Ramanandi’s unbeaten 34, sealing victory with four balls to spare.
Nepal outclass Canada with clinical chase
Nepal delivered one of the most complete performances of the day, comfortably chasing down Canada’s 161/6 with authority.
Navneet Dhaliwal’s 41 and a late unbeaten 38 from Shreyas Movva gave Canada hope, but regular wickets halted their momentum at key moments.
Aasif Sheikh set the tone early for Nepal with a blistering 58 off just 29 balls, putting the bowlers under pressure from the outset.
Sundeep Jora and Gulshan Jha calmly guided the chase before the finishers wrapped it up with two overs remaining.
New Zealand hold nerve in high-scoring battle
New Zealand survived a fierce USA fightback in the day’s most entertaining clash, clinching a narrow seven-run win after a run-fest.
Tim Seifert’s electric 66 off 31 and Glenn Phillips’ rapid 40 powered the Black Caps beyond the 200-run mark, setting up a daunting target.
The USA refused to back down, with Saiteja Mukkamalla, Milind Kumar, and Shubham Ranjane launching a spirited counterattack that kept the game alive deep into the chase.
Matt Henry ultimately turned the tide with a superb 5/32 spell, closing out the match just as the Americans threatened a stunning upset.
Momentum builds ahead of main event
With warm-ups entering their decisive phase, Oman and Nepal’s victories highlighted the growing strength of associate sides, while New Zealand showed both firepower and resilience under pressure.
Teams now shift focus to fine-tuning combinations and workloads before the global tournament begins, where every small edge could define the difference between glory and elimination.
If Day 4 proved anything, it’s that no team can afford complacency in this World Cup.
