By Lawrence Trusida
ZIMBABWE head into the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on the back foot after suffering a surprise four-wicket defeat to Oman in their final warm-up match in Colombo on Thursday.
Chasing 187, Oman reached the target with four balls to spare, exposing late bowling lapses by the Chevrons in their last competitive outing before the global tournament, which runs from February 7 to March 8 across venues in India and Sri Lanka.
Zimbabwe had earlier posted a competitive 186 for seven after opting to bat first, but failed to contain Oman’s disciplined chase as the associate side held their nerve in the closing overs to seal victory.
The defeat capped a mixed warm-up campaign for the Chevrons, who had opened with a morale-boosting win over the Netherlands before faltering in their final rehearsal.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup begins this Saturday, with Zimbabwe set to launch their group campaign on Monday against Oman at the Colombo Cricket Ground.
Having already traded blows with their opening opponents, Zimbabwe will take lessons from Thursday’s loss, knowing improvements will be required to mount a strong World Cup challenge.
