West Indies hammer Zimbabwe at T20 World Cup as Hetmyer stars with the bat

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hetmyer-shimron/fR2UDG8j/"]Shimron Hetmyer[/a] blasted 85 off 34 balls as the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/west-indies/jTD1lMfO/"]West Indies[/a] piled up 254-6, the second highest total in the history of the tournament.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/zimbabwe/pCUnmKBm/"]Zimbabwe[/a], who stunned [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/OxG0JfXg/"]Australia[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sri-lanka/zahH5UHg/"]Sri Lanka[/a] to reach the Super Eights, got off to an awful start chasing a monumental 255.[/p][p]They were reduced to 20-3 in the third over when two wickets fell to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hosein-akeal/OAIZoMa9/"]Akeal Hosein[/a]'s left-arm spin and never threatened to get close.[/p][p][b]They were all out for 147 in 17.4 overs with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/evans-brad/WnewNaqj/"]Brad Evans[/a] hitting some lusty late blows before being last man out for 43 off 21 balls with five sixes.[/b][/p][p]Left-armer Gudakesh Motie was the pick of the West Indies bowlers with 4-28 as he found some sharp turn. Hosein took 3-28.[/p][embed guid="8b3eff44-4f1b-401c-9f05-c9aebb28acc7" url="https://x.com/T20WorldCup/status/2025983609509974279" social-type="twitter" /][p]Zimbabwe captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/raza-sikandar/vLX4UoFq/"]Sikandar Raza[/a] won the toss and opted to bowl, then saw his bowlers flogged to all parts of the Wankhede stadium.[/p][p]Only Sri Lanka, who made 260-6 against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kenya/x4Sxjako/"]Kenya[/a] in 2007, have scored more in a T20 World Cup match.[/p][p]Coming in at 17-1, the left-handed Hetmyer was given a life Zimbabwe would come to regret.[/p][p]A routine catch at deep fine leg was spilled by Tashinga Musekiwa when the batsman was on nine.[/p][p][b]Hetmyer took full advantage, racing to his fifty off 19 balls, equalling [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-africa/tUhlKzIm/"]South Africa[/a]'s Aiden Markram for the fastest half-century of the tournament so far.[/b][/p][embed guid="35c94ec3-4d6b-4f3a-a785-77ba4f5be5db" url="https://x.com/T20WorldCup/status/2025985756381192554" social-type="twitter" /][p]Hetmyer and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/powell-rovman/pAv8tZiq/"]Rovman Powell[/a], who came in at 54-2, completed their century stand in 45 balls.[/p][p]They had added 122 off 52 balls when Hetmyer became the third wicket to go down with 176 on the board in the 15th over.[/p][p][b]Hetmyer, having been dropped for a second time on 70 by the hapless Musekiwa, this time was held in the deep by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bennett-brian/GhKrjpPq/"]Brian Bennett[/a] having smashed seven sixes and seven fours.[/b][/p][p]Powell was out soon after for 59, off 35 balls, with four sixes.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rutherford-sherfane/8t5kwJcK/"]Sherfane Rutherford[/a] took up the mantle and guided his side past 200 and then 250 as he scored 31 not out off 13 balls with two sixes.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shepherd-romario/2a0nHyy1/"]Romario Shepherd[/a] joined in the fun by smacking 21 and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/holder-jason/UT2qF2gE/"]Jason Holder[/a] took 13 off three balls as 38 runs were bludgeoned off the final two overs.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/cricket/west-indies-jTD1lMfO/zimbabwe-pCUnmKBm/?mid=UPj9VVhA"]Catch up on the match here.[/a][/b][/p]