ZIMBABWE?S senior men?s cricket team will open their 2026 T20 World Cup campaign this Monday with a match against Oman, scheduled to be played at the Colombo Stadium in Sri Lanka.

The two sides are in Group B, together with Ireland, Australia, and hosts Sri Lanka.

For Zimbabwe, today?s match will be an opportunity for revenge, following last Thursday?s 4 wicket defeat to the same opponents in a warm-up match.

Although losing to an associate country like Oman can be disappointing for a full member country like Zimbabwe, Sikandar Raza, who is the Chevrons? captain, believes that the level of competition in the game has improved hence, he hinted at a tough match on Monday.

?First of all, I do think all the associate nations have caught up with the T20 format with the Test nations rated, especially maybe from 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11.

?So, credit to all the associate countries for how they have grown in the T20 format, and rightly so. Hopefully, the game can keep spreading, and the gap can be even smaller.?

?We know that it is not going to be a walk in the park come tomorrow (Monday), but we will do our best to win,? said Raza.

Zimbabwe is marking its return to the T20 World Cup after failing to qualify for the 2024 edition.

Following Oman?s game, the Chevrons will play Australia on Friday, before facing Ireland on the 17th of February.

Commenting ahead of the Chevrons? clash, Oman?s captain, Jatinder Singh, said they are banking on last week?s win against Zimbabwe heading into their group opener on Monday.

?Whether you like it or not, there is a psychological advantage.

?We have beaten them in the warm-ups, and hopefully, we?re going to do the same in the upcoming game,? he said.

Oman is marking its fourth World Cup appearance since affiliating with the International Cricket Council in 2000.

The Western Asian country has consecutively qualified for the past three World Cup editions, ranking itself as one of the fast-rising associate cricket nations.