278/5 (49.3)
CR : 5.62
277/7 (50.0)
CR : 5.54
Sri Lanka won by 5 wickets 🏆
Player of the Match
P Nissanka
122(136)
SL won by 5 wickets
9:00 PM IST and 5:30 PM Local Time: Sri Lanka wrap up the series 2-0 with a clinical display in the second and final ODI of the series. They win the game by 5 wickets. Although the game went to the final over, Zimbabwe never seemed in the contest after the powerplay.
Chasing a mediocre total on a batting haven, Sri Lanka got off to a steady start courtesy of the openers Nuwanidu Fernando and Pathum Nissanka. The latter took his time to switch gears with the help of elegant strokeplay.
Just when the duo seemed to be nearing the fifth-run stand, the plot to bring in Brad Evans as the first change paid dividends for the Chevrons. He went on to bait Kusal Mendis too, before Sadeera Samarawickrama and Nissanka glued a fifty-plus stand to stabilise the stage. The opener went on with his glorious form, scoring yet another fifty, steering the Lankans to 146/2 in 30 overs. Samarawickrama and Nissanka glued 78 runs together before Charith Asalanka joined the opener as he raced to his seventh ODI ton.
With time, Asalanaka switched gears and got to a fine fifty, keeping Sri Lanka in the hunt. Although Nissanka departed for 122 while trying to up the ante, Janith Liyange and Asalanka curtailed the required equation to 22 off 18 balls. Ten runs each in the next couple of overs ensured a Lankan win despite the fall of Asalanka at 71.
Earlier, winning the toss and choosing to field first, Dushmantha Chameera struck inside the powerplay following a 55-run opening partnership. Despite the middle order failing to convert the starts, Ben Curran's 79 laid the foundation for a formidable total. Asitha Fernando's second spell was a pivotal factor in shifting the momentum towards the Lankans in the middle overs phase before Sikandar Raza's fifty and Clove Madande's run-a-ball 36 steered Zimbabwe to 277/7 in 50 overs. With the ball, Chameera picked up three under his name.
Stay tuned for the post-match presentation.
Chasing a mediocre total on a batting haven, Sri Lanka got off to a steady start courtesy of the openers Nuwanidu Fernando and Pathum Nissanka. The latter took his time to switch gears with the help of elegant strokeplay.
Just when the duo seemed to be nearing the fifth-run stand, the plot to bring in Brad Evans as the first change paid dividends for the Chevrons. He went on to bait Kusal Mendis too, before Sadeera Samarawickrama and Nissanka glued a fifty-plus stand to stabilise the stage. The opener went on with his glorious form, scoring yet another fifty, steering the Lankans to 146/2 in 30 overs. Samarawickrama and Nissanka glued 78 runs together before Charith Asalanka joined the opener as he raced to his seventh ODI ton.
With time, Asalanaka switched gears and got to a fine fifty, keeping Sri Lanka in the hunt. Although Nissanka departed for 122 while trying to up the ante, Janith Liyange and Asalanka curtailed the required equation to 22 off 18 balls. Ten runs each in the next couple of overs ensured a Lankan win despite the fall of Asalanka at 71.
Earlier, winning the toss and choosing to field first, Dushmantha Chameera struck inside the powerplay following a 55-run opening partnership. Despite the middle order failing to convert the starts, Ben Curran's 79 laid the foundation for a formidable total. Asitha Fernando's second spell was a pivotal factor in shifting the momentum towards the Lankans in the middle overs phase before Sikandar Raza's fifty and Clove Madande's run-a-ball 36 steered Zimbabwe to 277/7 in 50 overs. With the ball, Chameera picked up three under his name.
Stay tuned for the post-match presentation.
Sean Williams (Zimbabwe Captain): "Today's match was a tough one to swallow. This series as a whole was a fine line, the result could be either way. We made a few more errors than them.
We could have been a bit more positive with the bat. We did as much as we possibly could there. They batted really well. We tried to slow them down as much as we could but when you get a partnership going like that, it's very difficult to slow them down.
[Dropped catches] Small little chances make a big difference at the end of the day."
We could have been a bit more positive with the bat. We did as much as we possibly could there. They batted really well. We tried to slow them down as much as we could but when you get a partnership going like that, it's very difficult to slow them down.
[Dropped catches] Small little chances make a big difference at the end of the day."
Player of the Match: Pathum Nissanka
Player of the Series: Pathum Nissanka
Pathum Nissanka (Player of the Match & Series): "I am happy, I was short of runs in ODI cricket. Happy to make a comeback. I wanted to do well for the team and I believe in myself, that's the reason I scored the runs.
Not much of a difference in the conditions today but it was a bit difficult in the first powerplay against the 2 experienced Zimbabwe bowlers."
Not much of a difference in the conditions today but it was a bit difficult in the first powerplay against the 2 experienced Zimbabwe bowlers."
Charith Asalanka (Sri Lanka Captain): "It's a pleasure to have a win in Zimbabwe. Both the teams fought hard.
The message was to do the basics. I said at the toss I wanted to see a big hundred and Pathum did that. The youngsters have been performing really well in the recent past for Sri Lanka A and the domestic level and the other guys have been doing well as well.
I asked them to take less risks and hit the gaps. I want to thank the Sri Lankan crowd here. Every time they support us really well. I want to thank them on behalf of the team."
The message was to do the basics. I said at the toss I wanted to see a big hundred and Pathum did that. The youngsters have been performing really well in the recent past for Sri Lanka A and the domestic level and the other guys have been doing well as well.
I asked them to take less risks and hit the gaps. I want to thank the Sri Lankan crowd here. Every time they support us really well. I want to thank them on behalf of the team."
The Lankan skipper receives the series trophy and the team joins him in celebration! Both the teams will now lock horns in the 3-match T20I series which commences on Wednesday.
That's it from our coverage of the 2-match ODI series between Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. Ninaad Dixit here signing off on behalf of my co-commentators Arijit Kundu, Pritam Dey & Akshay Bhide, scorer Yogesh Kumar and statistician Aman. Stay tuned for more action from around the cricketing world.