Hammad Aziz
Harrare: Sri Lanka sealed a 2-0 ODI series victory against Zimbabwe after a five-wicket win in the second and final match at Harare, driven by a brilliant century from Pathum Nissanka. Chasing 278, the visitors crossed the line with three balls to spare, showcasing composure under pressure.
Nissanka Anchors the Chase
Nissanka scored a match-winning 122 off 136 balls, his seventh ODI hundred, guiding Sri Lanka’s chase with crucial partnerships—48 with Nuwanidu Fernando, 20 with Kusal Mendis, 78 with Sadeera Samarawickrama, and 90 with Charith Asalanka. Though boundaries dried up in the final powerplay, Sri Lanka stayed in control.
Charith Asalanka’s 71 off 61 turned the tide in the 40th over with three consecutive fours against Blessing Muzarabani. Kamindu Mendis then sealed the chase in the final over with a boundary. Nissanka’s composed innings earned him both the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards.
Zimbabwe Falter Despite Strong Start
Batting first, Zimbabwe posted 277 for 7, with Ben Curran top-scoring on 79 and skipper Sikandar Raza unbeaten on 59 off 55. Despite a promising powerplay start, Zimbabwe slowed in the middle overs. Brendan Taylor’s sluggish 20 off 37 and his 61-run stand with Curran consumed too many deliveries, allowing Sri Lanka’s part-timers to tighten control.
The turning point came when Asitha Fernando struck twice in one over, dismissing Curran and Sean Williams, leaving Zimbabwe at 155 for 4. Raza’s late fireworks lifted the total, but it proved insufficient.
Sri Lanka’s Middle-Overs Edge
The decisive factor was Sri Lanka’s dominance in the middle overs (15–40), scoring 166 for 3 compared to Zimbabwe’s 139 for 4. With wickets in hand and Nissanka anchoring the chase, Sri Lanka entered the death overs without pressure and completed a well-deserved series sweep.
