Captain Sikandar Raza and quick bowler Brad Evans impressed Zimbabwe to its greatest Twenty20 win over Sri Lanka on Thursday, by 67 runs. Sri Lanka was 95 all out on the ultimate ball in its opening match of the tri-series. Evans took 3-9 and all six bowlers bought wickets.
Zimbabwe posted a par whole of 162-8 after being despatched in to bat; Raza made 47 off 32 balls and opening batter Brian Bennett 49, lacking out on a second successive half-century.
“You need to be there when the chips are down and be ready to do the soiled work for the crew,” Raza stated. “If I’m attempting, I really feel my crew goes to attempt.”
Sri Lanka is enduring a horrible white-ball tour of Pakistan. Earlier than the tri-series, it misplaced the ODI sequence to Pakistan 3-0.
Sri Lanka didn’t get any momentum as soon as it misplaced Pathum Nissanka for a five-ball duck and Kusal Perera top-edged quick bowler Tinotenda Maposa as they limped to 25-2 contained in the batting powerplay. Captain Dasun Shanaka (34) was considered one of two Sri Lankans to succeed in double figures.
“The intent was not there from the start,” stated Shanaka, who was made captain for the tri-series after Charith Asalanka returned dwelling unwell. “We can not settle for this with the gamers and expertise we’ve bought.”
Bennett and Raza put up a spirited battle for Zimbabwe within the opening loss to Pakistan and featured once more on Thursday.
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Bennett started with three off-side boundaries within the second over, and mixed with Raza in a 61-run stand.
Raza perished within the dying overs, brilliantly caught by Shanaka at broad long-off, however Zimbabwe flogged 46 runs within the final 5 overs.
Sri Lanka takes on Pakistan on Saturday.