In a thrilling encounter at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Zimbabwe secured their first win of the ongoing SriLanka tour, beating the hosts by four wickets in the second T20I. The victory leveled the three-match series 1-1, marking a significant turnaround for the visiting team Zimbabwe in a closely contested match.
Charith Asalanka and Angelo Mathews’ Heroics in Vain
Sri Lanka faced a challenging start after being put into bat, losing four wickets within the first five overs with just 27 runs on the board. Blessing Muzarabani emerged as the wrecker-in-chief, dismissing key top-order batsmen. Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, and Sadeera Samarawickrama all fell victim to Muzarabani’s bowling early in the innings, leaving the hosts in a precarious position.
However, Angelo Mathews and Charith Asalanka displayed resilience, steadying the ship and minimizing risks in the middle overs. Asalanka, in particular, showcased signs of aggression in the 13th over, hitting a six down the ground against Sean Williams. The real onslaught came in the 15th over when Asalanka unleashed his attacking prowess against Wellington Masakadza, smashing a half-tracker for a six and adding two boundaries to his tally. Asalanka reached his half-century in 32 balls, while Mathews accelerated the scoring rate with a quick-fire partnership.
The duo continued their aggressive approach through the death overs, contributing valuable runs for the team. However, Zimbabwe managed to chip in with two more wickets in the late stages of the innings. Despite the wickets, Mathews remained unbeaten on a resilient 66, steering Sri Lanka to a total of 173/6 in their allotted 20 overs.
Zimbabwe’s Spirited Fightback
In response, Zimbabwe’s openers attempted to accelerate from the outset, but Tinashe Kamunhukamwe’s attempt to slog Dilshan Madhushanka in the fourth over resulted in his departure. However, Craig Ervine took charge of the chase, guiding Zimbabwe with a composed innings. After a slow start, Ervine elevated the scoring rate, reaching his fifty with a well-executed reverse sweep off Wanindu Hasaranga.
Sri Lanka struck back with quick wickets, cleaning up Brian Bennett and Sean Williams, while Dushmantha Chameera accounted for Sikandar Raza. Ervine, the anchor of Zimbabwe’s innings, eventually fell for a well-compiled 70, top-edging a googly from Hasaranga. Despite the loss of key wickets, Luke Jongwe, Ryan Burl, and Madande ensured that Zimbabwe remained in contention.
With the pressure mounting, Angelo Mathews bowled the last over, but a no-ball and a dropped catch off Jongwe added drama to the climax. Needing two runs off two balls, Madande sealed the win with a powerful slog over the deep mid-wicket fence.
Also Read: https://goworldwide.co.in/sri-lanka-last-ball-heroics-seal-victory-over-zimbabwe/