Harare, September 15 (Daily Kiran) : Australia triumphed over Zimbabwe by 59 runs in the first One Day International held at Harare Sports Club on September 15, 2026. This victory gives the Australian team a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, with the next games scheduled for September 18 and 20.
Winning the toss, Australia opted to bat first and scored 294 runs, losing eight wickets in the process. The team faced an early setback, losing Travis Head for just 4 runs with the score at 10. Captain Mitchell Marsh then partnered with Cooper Connolly to add 50 runs for the second wicket.
Marsh contributed 36 runs off 28 balls, hitting one six and six fours before departing. Josh Inglis came in next but could only add 4 runs. Connolly, however, managed to secure a half-century, scoring 51 runs.
At 107 runs, Australia lost their fourth wicket. From there, Matt Renshaw played a crucial role, forming a 72-run partnership with Alex Carey for the fifth wicket and then adding 75 runs with Oliver Peek for the sixth. Carey scored 27 runs before being dismissed, while Renshaw shone with a remarkable 109 runs off 94 balls, including three sixes and seven fours—marking his first ODI century. Peek added 30 runs to the total.
For Zimbabwe, Newmann Nyamhuri was the standout bowler, taking five wickets for 62 runs in his nine overs. Brad Evans claimed two wickets, while captain Sikandar Raza picked up one.
In response, Zimbabwe was bowled out for 235 runs in 45.1 overs. They lost Ben Curran for a duck on the first ball, and despite a 44-run partnership between Brian Bennett (25) and Innocent Kaya (18), the team struggled as wickets fell rapidly, leaving them at 62 runs for four wickets.
Craig Ervine partnered with captain Sikandar Raza to revive Zimbabwe’s innings, adding 98 runs for the fifth wicket. However, once that partnership broke, Zimbabwe lost control of the match. Ervine scored 59 runs off 60 balls, while Raza contributed 57 runs. Wesley Madhevere added 22 runs.
Nathan Ellis was the star for Australia with the ball, taking five wickets for 31 runs. Spencer Johnson, Javier Bartlett, Matt Renshaw, Adam Zampa, and Cooper Connolly each took one wicket.
RSG
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