Lanka roars back to swamp Zimbabwe

Sri Lanka winners of the T20I series against Zimbabwe

Player of the Series Angelo Mathews receives his award from SLC medical panel head Prof Arjuna de Silva

Player of the Match Wanindu Hasaranga played havoc with the Zimbabwe batting, taking 4/15

• Wins T20I series 2-1
• Player of the Series Mathews in fabulous comeback

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Sri Lanka roared back from their four-wicket defeat in the second T20I to thrash the daylights out of Zimbabwe in the third and final match winning by nine wickets and thereby taking the three-match series 2-1 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

It was a rather comprehensive performance from Sri Lanka to bowl Zimbabwe out for their lowest total in the shortest format - 82, and then knocking the runs off in 10.5 overs with Pathum Nissanka providing the finishing touches to the match and the series by hitting Zimbabwe Captain Sikander Raza over long-on for six.

Nissanka and Kusal Mendis made light of the target of 83 posting 64 for the first wicket in 7.4 overs. Zimbabwe’s only success was the wicket of Mendis for 33 when he was beaten in flight by a Sean Williams delivery and was bowled for 33. Nissanka (39*) and Dhananjaya de Silva (15*) saw Sri Lanka home quite comfortably.

Sri Lanka’s win was set up by their bowlers notably the captain Wanindu Hasaranga who bowled with a vengeance to capture four wickets for 15 runs after being smashed for 41 runs in the second T20I which Zimbabwe won on Tuesday. Hasaranga proved unplayable as he ran through the bottom half of the Zimbabwe batting to take the Player of the Match award.

Angelo Mathews, given new-found confidence by the new selection committee, was at his best providing Sri Lanka with the initial breakthrough by snapping up the first two Zimbabwe wickets to finish with figures of 2/15. With his contributions of 46 and 66* in the first two matches, he was named Player of the Series. What a comeback it has been to T20I cricket after three years in the wilderness for the veteran all-rounder who was shunned by the previous selection committee. He showed at 36 that he still had the spirit and the resolve to compete in the fastest form of the game.

“It’s been a great comeback series for me,” said Mathews after receiving the award. “I’ve been working extremely hard on and off the field, trying to keep up with all the youngsters. It’s great that I was able to contribute in all three departments.”

Following their inspirational win in the second T20I to square the series 1-all, one expected Zimbabwe to give Sri Lanka a good contest in the series decider, but apart from a cameo knock of 29 off 12 balls (7 fours) from Brian Bennett the rest of the batting capitulated under pressure. From 51-2, Zimbabwe were shot out for 82 with the spinners ruling the roost with Hasaranga, Theekshana and De Silva running riot.

It has been a refreshing start to the New Year for the new selection committee headed by Upul Tharanga and the two new white ball captains Kusal Mendis (ODI) and Hasaranga (T20I) with Sri Lanka winning both the ODI series (2-0) and the T20I series (2-1) against Zimbabwe, following the aftermath of the World Cup in India. Afghanistan are their next opponents, come next month.