Sri Lanka travel to Asia Cup with morale-boosting series win

Monday, 8 September 2025 03:15 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

T20I series winners Sri Lanka

Beat Zimbabwe by 8 wickets in third and final T20I to take series 2-1

What a turnaround. Bowled out for their second lowest total in T20Is – 80, only a day ago, and then being hit for 191 in the third and final match at Harare SC yesterday, Sri Lanka came roaring back to beat Zimbabwe comprehensively by eight wickets with 14 balls to spare and clinch the three-match series 2-1.

The win was a tremendous morale booster for Sri Lanka ahead of the Asia Cup. Chasing down a stiff target of 192 for the series win was what the Lankans needed. It was a good batting exercise for a unit heading to the Asia Cup.

The victory will taste sweet but more than that was how Kamil Mishara batted and got his maiden T20I fifty, which will please the Lankan camp the most. He batted so well. Looked so stylish, so sure of what he wanted to do, and executed it to the T, hitting the Zimbabwe bowlers to all parts of the field to score 73 off 43 balls (6 fours, 3 sixes) and take the Player of the Match award.

Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis gave Sri Lanka a solid start with a 50-run opening stand (58 off 32 balls). Just when Mendis (30 off 17) was looking ominous, Brad Evans managed to get rid of him. Sikandar Raza then struck first ball on arrival to dismiss Nissanka for 33 off 20, but that is all Zimbabwe could manage. Mishara stayed super positive, while Kusal Perera (46* off 26 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes) gave him good company in a record third-wicket partnership of 117* off 63 balls, which was Sri Lanka’s highest for that wicket, surpassing 96 by Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama. It was calculated batting by the pair that ensured Sri Lanka were home easily.

Earlier, Zimbabwe put up a healthy total on the board, scoring 191-8. They were positive from ball one and every batter in the top six had intent to show. Tadiwanashe Marumani played anchor (51 off 44 balls, 6 fours, 1 six) and the rest tried to exert pressure on the Lankan bowlers. Sri Lanka were a little clumsy on the field and that allowed a few extra runs to be scored. It is an area that they have to work on if they are to compete with stronger countries in the Asia Cup.

Dushmantha Chameera took the Player of the Series award for his 8 wickets in the series.