Reigning One-Day world champions Australia were shocked in their lung opener as Zimbabwe scripted a thrilling victory by five wickets in their Group B encounter at Newlands in Cape Town on Wednesday
Australia put up a below par performance as their batsmen only managed 138 runs after electing to bat, and were unable to defend their modest total as Zimbabwe got there with one ball to spare.
The Zimbabwean outfit put up a sterling bowling display coupled with terrific fielding as the Australians never got going on a damp Newlands wicket. Opener Brendan Taylor then notched up an unbeaten 60 from 45 balls to see his side home.
At four wickets down for 74 in the twelfth over, Zimbabwe were well on course to chase down the 'modest' Australian target, but an impromptu rain delay meant the Zimbabweans were still behind by two runs on Duckworth-Lewis.
Play resumed as Taylor and Hamilton Masakadza put together 53 runs for the fifth wicket to take Zimbabwe closer to their target, only to witness high drama as Brett Lee dismissed Masakadza in the penultimate over for a crucial 27.
Needing 12 runs from the final over off Nathan Bracken, Taylor dispatched the first delivery for a boundary. And with four runs to get from the last two balls, Bracken’s penultimate delivery was sent for yet another boundary to spark off wild celebrations in the Zimbabwean camp.