Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, 5th ODI: Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka by 3 wickets to clinch series 3-2
Zimbabwe completed a remarkable 3-2 series win over Sri Lanka after the visitors held their nerves in a tricky chase to beat the hosts by 3 wickets in the fifth and final One-Day International at Hambantota.
Having won the toss, Graeme Cremer put Sri Lanka in to bat, and his side did a good job of restricting them to just 203 in the first innings. Zimbabwe’s opening pair of Hamilton Masakadza and Solomon Mire made a blistering start to the modest chase, racking up a 92 runs for the opening stand, scoring at almost a run a ball.
Masakadza continued the assault even after Mire’s departure, but fell prey to Lasith Malinga in the 24th over. His wicket triggered a mini-collapse as Zimbabwe lost five wickets for just 38 runs. It brought Sri Lanka back into the contest but Sikandar Raza, along with captain Cremer, kept a calm mind to record a memorable series win in Sri Lanka.
Earlier in the day, Raza had already made a telling contribution when he claimed three wickets to help Zimbabwe restrict Sri Lanka to a modest score.
The Angelo Mathews-led side slipped to 153/8 in the 42nd over before Asela Gunaratne and Dushmantha Chameera (18 not out) put on an unbeaten 50-run stand for the ninth wicket.
Paceman Tendai Chatara drew first blood after getting opener Niroshan Dickwella — who came into the match with two successive centuries — caught behind for three.
The wicket also pulled the brakes on Sri Lanka’s rampaging opening starts in the previous one-day internationals against the visiting African side.
Niroshan Dickwella and Gunathilaka made ODI history in delivering back-to-back double century partnerships in the previous two contests against Zimbabwe.
Raza (3-21), who opened the bowling for the visiting side, rattled Sri Lanka’s top order with two wickets including left-handed batsman Upul Tharanga for one.
The Pakistan-born Raza was complemented by skipper Cremer, who took two wickets with his wily leg-spin, notably the prized scalp of his opposite number Mathews (24). Eventually it was the duo who combined with the bat to take their side home.
The 11th-ranked Zimbabwe, who levelled the series at 2-2 on Saturday, recorded their first overseas bilateral series win against a Test side since defeating Bangladesh in 2001.
