Report
The hosts chased down Zimbabwe’s total with eight balls to spare thanks to several contributions with the bat
Sri Lanka (Nissanka 75, Chandimal 75) 300 for 5 beat Zimbabwe 296 for 9 (Ervine 100) by five wickets
Zimbabwe’s batters gave their side a healthy chance. On a flat Pallekele track, the openers put on 80 off 88 balls – debutant Takudzwanashe Kaitano hitting 42, and Regis Chakabva going on to make 72 off 81. Then Sean Williams dominated the middle and late overs, hitting 100 off 87.
But although they made 296 for 9 – generally an excellent first innings score on Sri Lankan surfaces – the home side’s top order had the measure of the target. They had three major contributors. Opener Pathum Nissanka hit the first half-century of his ODI career, making 75 off 71 to set the chase up. Then No. 4 Dinesh Chandimal and No. 5 Charith Asalanka took the baton, putting on a match-defining 132-run stand, hitting 75 off 91 and 71 off off 68 respectively. In the end, they got there with five wickets and eight balls to spare.
On a surface that was not particularly conducive to turn, the seamers of both teams made bigger contributions. For Sri Lanka, Chamika Karunaratne took 3 for 69 and Nuwan Pradeep claimed 2 for 54, both bowling their full quotas. Zimbabwe’s standout was Richard Ngarava, who claimed 3 for 56 from nine overs. Blessing Muzarabani and Sikandar Raza claimed one wicket apiece.
More to follow..
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo’s Sri Lanka correspondent. @afidelf
Source: ESPN Crickinfo