Zimbabwe 175/7 (20) Sri Lanka 177/6 (19.1). Sri Lanka won by 4 wickets (with 5 balls remaining).
OPENER Brian Bennett scored 81, and seamer Richard Ngarava went at 4.75 runs an over, picking up two wickets, but their efforts could not prevent a Kamindu Mendis-charged Sri Lanka from stealing a four-wicket win with five balls remaining against Zimbabwe in the first T20I match played at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
Zimbabwe totalled a competitive 175/7 in their allotted overs after skipper Sikandar Raza lost the toss and was asked to bat first.
However, Raza had intended to bat first had the toss gone in his favour, as he fancied putting some runs on the board.
Bennett batted solidly after a lean One Day International (ODI) series performance, scoring 81 from 57 balls, including 12 boundaries.
Raza, the new ODI all-rounder in chief, weighed in with 28 from 22 balls.
“I thought we were in the game for 19 overs, but it was one over that went for 20 odd that turned the game,” Raza said after the match.
“These are the experiences the young boys need to have, but hopefully, he’ll nail his yorkers on another day,” he added.
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Dushmantha Chameera recorded considerable success with the ball, claiming three wickets for 30 runs in his four-over spell for Sri Lanka.
Dushan Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, and Nuwan Thusara picked one each.
Zimbabwe valiantly fought with the ball in defense of their total until the 18th over, which yielded 26 runs.
Sri Lanka, who were staring down the barrel, swung back into the match, needing runs to win from 12 balls.
But Ngarava bowled magnificently well, conceding just five runs in the penultimate over to force the match into the final over.
Sri Lanka needed three runs to win the match, and Kamindu Mendis sent a Blessing Muzarabani delivery to the boundary for a four.
Ngarava finished with two wickets for 19 runs in four overs.
Muzarabani, Tinotenda Maposa, Raza and Brad Evans took a wicket each.
Charith Asalanka, Sri Lanka captain, said: “I’m really happy about the performance and the results. Outstanding the way the boys played today. Little bit [of panic], yes, but credit to how Zimbabwe bowled and fielded.”
The second T20I is on Saturday.
