144/7 (20.0)
CR : 7.20
143/5 (20.0)
CR : 7.15
Sri Lanka won by 3 wickets š
Player of the Match
Angelo Mathews
0/1346(38)
10:26 PM IST, Local Time | Deepak: Someone pinch me, please! Phew, what a humdinger of a match we just witnessed here at R. Premadasa Stadium. Heartbreak for Zimbabwe as they couldn't hold their nerve in a clutch situation, losing by 3 wickets in the last-ball thriller. Thanks to the veteran Angelo Mathews, who made a return to T20I cricket almost after three years, playing a well-composed knock of 46 runs off 38 balls, helping Sri Lanka go 1-0 up in the series.
Earlier, after being invited to bat first, Zimbabwe got off to a careful start with Tinashe Kamunhukamwe and Craig Ervine rotating the strike carefully in the powerplay but failing to accelerate, eventually departing for 26 and 10 runs, respectively. Sean Williams also struggled to time the ball, managing only 14 runs off 20 balls. However, skipper Sikandar Raza led from the front, scoring briskly to notch up his half-century, contributing 62 runs off 42 balls before falling prey to Chameera. Brian Bennett and Luke Jongwe added valuable 10* and 13* runs, respectively, off 8 balls each, helping the visitors post a respectable 143/5 in 20 overs.
Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga shared a couple of wickets for the hosts, while Dasun Shanaka celebrated a solitary wicket
In pursuit of 143 runs, Sri Lanka faced an early setback as Pathum Nissanka departed for a mere 2 runs in the first over of the innings. Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera then started building a partnership, but their progress was abruptly halted, with both departing inside the powerplay after scoring 17 runs each.
Sri Lanka suffered another setback after the powerplay when Sadeera Samarawickrama fell victim to Raza, leaving the team at 51/4 in the 8th over of the innings. Charith Asalanka and Angelo Mathews then embarked on a rescue mission, but their struggle to score at a brisk pace intensified the pressure. Raza removed Asalanka (16 off 22) and Wanindu Hasaranga (0 off 2) in a single over and put the hosts in deep waters.
Dasun Shanaka joined Mathews in the middle, and the duo switched gears to score at a brisk pace in the last few overs of the game, reducing the equation to 14 runs off the final over.
Muzarabani, who bowled the final over of the match, conceded two back-to-back boundaries on the first two balls, reducing the equation to 6 runs off the next 4 balls. Just when it seemed like Sri Lanka would win this match easily, Muzarabani bounced back strongly and claimed the prized wicket of Mathews (46 off 38) on the fourth ball of the over, with the third ball being a dot ball.
Suddenly, Zimbabwe once again found themselves on top as the new batter, Dushmantha Chameera, was set to face the penultimate ball of the match, with Shanaka at the non-striker's end. However, fate had other plans for the visitors. Chameera top-edged the penultimate ball, which flew over the keeper's head for four runs, reducing the equation to 2 runs off the final ball. Chameera managed to flick the last ball towards the vacant mid-wicket, scampering for a couple of runs to seal the game. On the other end, Shanaka remained unbeaten on 18-ball 26 runs, playing a pivotal role in Sri Lanka's victory.
Zimbabwe put up a solid fight with the ball, keeping the hosts under pressure until the last ball of the match. However, as always, they failed to hold their nerve in the crunch situation and eventually ended up on the losing side.
Sikandar Raza shone with the ball for the visiting side, taking three wickets for just 13 runs in 4 overs. Blessing Muzarabani chipped in with a couple of wickets, while Richard Ngarava and Wellington Masakadza celebrated a solitary wicket.
Stay tuned for the post-match presentation....
Dasun Shanaka joined Mathews in the middle, and the duo switched gears to score at a brisk pace in the last few overs of the game, reducing the equation to 14 runs off the final over.
Muzarabani, who bowled the final over of the match, conceded two back-to-back boundaries on the first two balls, reducing the equation to 6 runs off the next 4 balls. Just when it seemed like Sri Lanka would win this match easily, Muzarabani bounced back strongly and claimed the prized wicket of Mathews (46 off 38) on the fourth ball of the over, with the third ball being a dot ball.
Suddenly, Zimbabwe once again found themselves on top as the new batter, Dushmantha Chameera, was set to face the penultimate ball of the match, with Shanaka at the non-striker's end. However, fate had other plans for the visitors. Chameera top-edged the penultimate ball, which flew over the keeper's head for four runs, reducing the equation to 2 runs off the final ball. Chameera managed to flick the last ball towards the vacant mid-wicket, scampering for a couple of runs to seal the game. On the other end, Shanaka remained unbeaten on 18-ball 26 runs, playing a pivotal role in Sri Lanka's victory.
Zimbabwe put up a solid fight with the ball, keeping the hosts under pressure until the last ball of the match. However, as always, they failed to hold their nerve in the crunch situation and eventually ended up on the losing side.
Sikandar Raza shone with the ball for the visiting side, taking three wickets for just 13 runs in 4 overs. Blessing Muzarabani chipped in with a couple of wickets, while Richard Ngarava and Wellington Masakadza celebrated a solitary wicket.
Stay tuned for the post-match presentation....
10.35 PM IST & Local Time: Time for the post match presentation.
Player of the Match: Angelo Mathews
Angelo Mathews (Player of the Match): "I felt like playing my debut game. I wasn't trying to prove anything to anyone. It was another opportunity for me to try and do for my team. It was a slow wicket and Dasun played well. Zimbabwe played well, Sikandar batted well and bowled well. We kept losing wickets at crucial intervals, I stuck in there and Dasun played really well in the end. We needed to get 10 runs per over after the 8th over, so we had to keep pushing ourselves and hit the gaps."
Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe Captain): "Yeah this has been the story of Zimbabwe cricket for some time now. But the good thing is everybody understands in the changing room that the onus is on us to keep changing our fortunes.
I'm very proud of the way we fought today. Unfortunately, it has been one of those games that has gone to the last ball and unfortunately, we have come out second best.
[About first innings total] No, I initially wasn't too sure, but the way the wicket was changing even when I was batting and at the ten-over mark, we said that 145 is a decent score on this wicket and I think 145 was a decent score, credit to Sri Lanka; they needed 37 runs in the last three overs, and the way they batted and finished put us under pressure, and unfortunately, we have come out second best. I would have enjoyed myself a lot more had we won the game."
I'm very proud of the way we fought today. Unfortunately, it has been one of those games that has gone to the last ball and unfortunately, we have come out second best.
[About first innings total] No, I initially wasn't too sure, but the way the wicket was changing even when I was batting and at the ten-over mark, we said that 145 is a decent score on this wicket and I think 145 was a decent score, credit to Sri Lanka; they needed 37 runs in the last three overs, and the way they batted and finished put us under pressure, and unfortunately, we have come out second best. I would have enjoyed myself a lot more had we won the game."
Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka Captain): "Yeah, our bowlers did a great job today, bowlers should take more responsibility. And they did the job and kept them to a decent score so it wouldn't have mattered whether we batted first or second. In the middle overs, we played a lot of dot balls and that is something we would like to work on further. We have a balanced side and if we play the middle overs well, we can easily chase this type of target."
Time to conclude our coverage as well. A game both sides will remember for a long time, and we hope you enjoyed the last-ball thriller that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the last second of the match.
Zimbabwe put up a solid fight with the ball, keeping the hosts under pressure until the last ball of the match. However, as always, they failed to hold their nerve in the crunch situation and eventually ended up on the losing side.
So, Sri Lanka clinch the nail-biter and take a 1-0 lead in the series. Both sides will meet again at the same venue in a couple of days on Tuesday for the second T20I, and one can hope for another thrilling encounter when these teams face each other again.
For now, this is Deepak Prakash, signing off on behalf of commentator and good friend Saipavan Janaki, and scorer/analyst Chandan Kumar Singh. CHEERS!
Zimbabwe put up a solid fight with the ball, keeping the hosts under pressure until the last ball of the match. However, as always, they failed to hold their nerve in the crunch situation and eventually ended up on the losing side.
So, Sri Lanka clinch the nail-biter and take a 1-0 lead in the series. Both sides will meet again at the same venue in a couple of days on Tuesday for the second T20I, and one can hope for another thrilling encounter when these teams face each other again.
For now, this is Deepak Prakash, signing off on behalf of commentator and good friend Saipavan Janaki, and scorer/analyst Chandan Kumar Singh. CHEERS!