Zimbabwe sealed a thrilling 4-wicket win in the second T20I to level the three-match series against Sri Lanka at R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza won the all important toss and elected to bowl first while Sri Lanka made one change as they included Dilshan Madushanka in place of Nuwan Thushara.
Sri Lanka’s top order disaster continued again when they got off to a terrible start, losing 4 wickets for only 27 runs in 4.4 overs. Blessing Muzarabani provided the first breakthrough with the wicket of Nissanka in the second over before sending back Kusal Perera for a first-ball duck.
Kusal Mendis’ stay at the crease did not last long as Luke Jongwe got his man in the third over. Left arm spinner Wellinton Masakadza then joined the party to get rid of Samarawickrama for 16. The latter decided to walk after nick it to the keeper even though the umpire kept his finger down.
After 4 down inside the powerplay, Charith Asalanka and first-game hero Angelo Mathews were looking to rebuild the Sri Lanka innings. The duo brought up the fifty partnership off 51 deliveries as the hosts finished the 14th over with only 83 runs on the board.
In the 15th over, they gained some momentum when Asalanka hit a six and two fours off Masakadza, reaching his 5th fifty in this format off just 31 balls. Suddenly, it became raining boundaries as they smashed 20 runs off Muzarabani’s third over.
Asalanka and Mathews added 118 runs for the 5th wicket which became the highest-ever 5th-wicket partnership for Sri Lanka. Asalanka played his part brilliantly, smashing 69 off just 39 balls while hitting 5 fours and 3 sixes before being dismissed in the 18th over.
After getting a slow start, Mathews accelerated his innings to register his 6th T20I half century. Sri Lanka smashed 90 runs off the last 6 overs as they recovered well to post 173/6 in their 20 overs. In the bowling department, Jongwe and Muzarabani bagged a couple of scalps apiece.
Defending 173 to win, Dilshan Madushanka drew the first blood for the islanders with the wicket of Tinashe Kamunhukamwe in the 4th over. However, Craig Ervine and Brian Bennett revived the visitors’ run-chase with a 74-run stand for the second wicket.
Theekshana made the breakthrough for Sri Lanka, shattering the stumps of Bennet for 25. Skipper Raza was not able to hang in there as Chameera produced the third wicket. Theekshana struck again as he castled Sean Williams, reducing the opponents to 112/4.
Ervine registered his highest score in T20Is, scoring 70 off 54 including 6 fours and 2 sixes, but Zimbabwe lost Ervine and Burl in two successive overs which put Sri Lanka on top at the end of the 18th over.
Madushanka’s 19th over went for 10 which set a target of 20 to Zimbabwe victory in the final over. Hasarangadecided to give the final over to his veteran Mathews, but due to slow over rate, Sri Lanka had to bring one extra fielder to the 30-yard circle.
Jongwe got the perfect start for the final over as he smoked a off the first ball which eventually called as no-ball, reducing the target to 14 off 6 balls. He found another boundary off the free hit and then smoked another six, changing the equation to 3 off 4.
Jongwe got another life when Theekshana dropped him off the 4th delivery. Clive Madande went on to hit a six next ball, guiding Zimbabwe to their maiden T20I win over Sri Lanka by 4 wickets. The latter remained not out on 25 off just 12 balls as he was named player of the match for his brilliant performance.
Madushanka, Chameera and Theekshana bowled extremely well while Hasaranga and Mathews were really expensive as the visitors prevailed in a last-over thriller to level the series.
Result
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | c Luke Jongwe b Blessing Muzarabani | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14.29 |
| Kusal Mendis | c Ryan Burl b Luke Jongwe | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 80.00 |
| Kusal Perera | c Ryan Burl b Blessing Muzarabani | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Sadeera Samarawickrama | c Clive Madande b Wellington Masakadza | 16 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 133.33 |
| Charith Asalanka | c Sean Williams b Luke Jongwe | 69 | 39 | 5 | 3 | 176.92 |
| Angelo Mathews | not out | 66 | 51 | 0 | 6 | 129.41 |
| Dasun Shanaka | c Ryan Burl b Richard Ngarava | 9 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 225.00 |
| Wanidu Hasaranga | not out | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | 8 (b 0 , lb 1 , nb 0, w 7, pen 0) |
| Total | 173/6 (20 Overs, RR: 8.65) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Ngarava | 4 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 7.50 | |
| Blessing Muzarabani | 4 | 0 | 36 | 2 | 9.00 | |
| Luke Jongwe | 2 | 0 | 32 | 2 | 16.00 | |
| Wellington Masakadza | 3 | 0 | 25 | 1 | 8.33 | |
| Sikandar Raza | 4 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 6.25 | |
| Sean Williams | 3 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 8.00 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tinashe Kamunhukamwe | c Wanidu Hasaranga b Dilshan Madushanka | 12 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 92.31 |
| Craig Ervine | c Maheesh Theekshana b Wanidu Hasaranga | 70 | 54 | 6 | 2 | 129.63 |
| Brian Bennett | b Maheesh Theekshana | 25 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 125.00 |
| Sikandar Raza | c Sadeera Samarawickrama b Dushmantha Chameera | 8 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 160.00 |
| Sean Williams | b Maheesh Theekshana | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Ryan Burl | c Kusal Mendis b Dushmantha Chameera | 13 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 144.44 |
| Luke Jongwe | not out | 25 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 208.33 |
| Clive Madande | not out | 15 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 300.00 |
| Extras | 9 (b 0 , lb 2 , nb 2, w 5, pen 0) |
| Total | 178/6 (19.5 Overs, RR: 8.97) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dilshan Madushanka | 4 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 6.00 | |
| Maheesh Theekshana | 4 | 0 | 25 | 2 | 6.25 | |
| Dushmantha Chameera | 4 | 0 | 30 | 2 | 7.50 | |
| Charith Asalanka | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8.00 | |
| Wanidu Hasaranga | 4 | 0 | 41 | 1 | 10.25 | |
| Angelo Mathews | 1.5 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 23.33 | |
| Dasun Shanaka | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 13.00 | |
