COLOMBO: Sri Lanka pulled off a thrilling three-wicket win over Zimbabwe in a last ball thriller in the first Twenty20 international in Colombo on Sunday.
Requiring six runs off the last two balls, tail-ender Dushmantha Chameera smashed a boundary off the penultimate ball. Then he pushed the last ball to square leg, scampering for two runs to keep Sri Lanka´s unbeaten record against Zimbabwe in T20 Internationals intact. Sri Lanka owed the win to 36-year-old former captain Angelo Mathews who, playing his first T20 International in almost three years, top scored with 46.
Mathews had last featured in a T20 international in March 2021, and was recalled to the side as Sri Lanka look to bolster the team with experienced players in the lead up to this year´s T20 World Cup.
But Mathews paid tribute to Chameera. “The best knock came from Dushmantha Chameera who scored those six runs in two balls,” Mathews said.
“All our hard work would have been useless had he not connected.” Sri Lanka were 51 for four when Mathews walked out to bat, and added 32 runs off 39 balls for the fifth wicket with Charith Asalanka.
It was a crucial rebuilding period for Sri Lanka, but they were back to square one when Sikandar Raza struck twice in his last over to reduce Sri Lanka to 83 for six. Together with fellow all-rounder Dasun Shanaka, Mathews then was involved in a 55-run stand to take Sri Lanka close to victory.
Shanaka, who was axed as captain following last year´s 50-over World Cup, finished unbeaten on 26. Sri Lanka required 14 runs off the last over.
Mathews hit two boundaries from the first two balls bowled by Blessing Muzarabani to bring the equation down to six from four balls. He attempted another big hit in the fourth delivery, but failed to clear the mid-wicket boundary and was dismissed for 46 from 38 balls with five fours and one six. Chameera knocked off the remaining runs while Sikandar Raza´s brilliant all-round performance was in vain.
Sri Lanka won the toss
Zimbabwe Innings
Kamunhukamwe b Theekshana 26
Ervine lbw b Theekshana 10
Williams b Silva 14
Raza (c) c Shanaka b Chameera 62
Burl b de Silva 5
Bennett not out 10
Jongwe not out 13
Extras: (lb 1, nb 1, w 1) 3
Total: 20 Ov (RR: 7.15) 143/5
Fall of wickets: 1-37, 2-38, 3-83, 4-103, 5-129
Bowling: Angelo Mathews 2-0-13-0, Nuwan Thushara 4-0-43-0, Maheesh Theekshana 4-0-16-2, Dushmantha Chameera 4-0-38-1, Wanindu Hasaranga 4-0-19-2, Dasun Shanaka 2-0-13-0
Sri Lanka Innings (144 runs from 20 ovs)
Nissanka c Masakadza b Ngarava 2
Mendis c Masakadza b Muzarabani .17
Perera c Burl b Masakadza 17
Samarawickrama b Sikandar Raza 9
Asalanka c Masakadza b Raza 16
Mathews c Masakadza b Muzarabani 46
Hasaranga (c) b Sikandar Raza 0
Shanaka not out 26
Chameera not out 6
Extras: (lb 1, w 4) 5
Total: 20 Ov (RR: 7.20) 144/7
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-32, 3-38, 4-51, 5-83, 6-83, 7-138
Bowling: Richard Ngarava 4-0-34-1, Blessing Muzarabani 4-0-33-2, Luke Jongwe 3-0-38-0, Wellington Masakadza 4-0-21-1, Sikandar Raza 4-0-13-3, Sean Williams 1-0-4-0
Match Result: Sri Lanka won by 3 wickets
Player of the match: Angelo Mathews
Umpires: Raveendra Wimalasiri, Ruchira Palliyaguruge\
The logo of the Football Association of Malaysia is pictured at their headquarters in Kuala Lumpur February 5, 2014....
A photo from National Football Challenge Cup.—FootballPakistan/FileLAHORE: WAPDA and SA Gardens notched identical...
Pakistan's Mohammad Amir looks on a match between Pakistan and Bangladesh at London's Lord's Cricket Ground. —...
General view of colored smoke as French rapper Julien Mari is seen after the Olympic Flame was lit at the Old Port...
A gendarme of the French National Gendarmerie Intervention Group takes part in a drill, as part of the preparation...
A representational image of the setup of PSL 2022. — PCB/FileLAHORE: The clash of the PSL 10 with the IPL would pose...