Thisara Perera’s all-round brilliance keeps Sri Lanka alive

• Takes 4 for 33 and scores unbeaten 39 in match winning performance against Zimbabwe

Thisara Perera was the hero for Sri Lanka in the fourth match of the ODI tri-series in Bangladesh, ripping out Zimbabwe’s top four before blasting 39 not out from 26 balls to seal a crucial victory. 

The Sri Lankans came into the match knowing that a fourth consecutive ODI loss to Zimbabwe – having lost two matches on home soil last July and suffered a 12-run defeat to the same opposition last week in Dhaka – would end their hopes of reaching the final. They responded with an impressive all-round display, bowling out Zimbabwe for 198 in 44 overs and then reaching their target with 5.1 overs and five wickets to spare, despite a middle-order wobble. 

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer may well have been ruing his decision as he watched his side lose four wickets inside 17 overs with just 73 runs on the board. Perera (4/33) was the man who did most of the damage, coming on first-change and using the short ball to great effect. Hamilton Masakadza and Solomon Mire both fell victim to short-pitched deliveries, while Brendon Taylor (58) suffered the same fate later in the innings to become Perera’s fourth scalp. 

Craig Ervine was the third of Perera’s four dismissals, chasing a full delivery outside off stump and edging to Upul Tharanga at slip.

Max Waller (24) and Cremer (34) offered Taylor some support but a fiery spell from Nuwan Pradeep (3/28) skittled Zimbabwe’s tail and left Sri Lanka needing 199 from their 50 overs – a target stand-in skipper Dinesh Chandimal would have been delighted with at the toss. 

Tendai Chatara clean-bowled Tharanga (17) after a cautious start to Sri Lanka’s reply but Kusal Perera (49) and Kusal Mendis (36) put their foot on the gas, sharing a second-wicket stand of 70 in 11.4 overs. 

The dismissal of Perera one short of his half-century led to a mini-collapse which would have caused concern in the Sri Lankan changing room, particularly given their recent poor form. Mendis and Niroshan Dickwella fell within the space of two overs as three wickets went down for 14 runs. 

The door appeared ajar for a Zimbabwen comeback when Asela Gunaratne edged behind to give Kyle Jarvis his only wicket but Chandimal and Thisara Perera slammed it shut with an unbeaten stand of 57 that saw Sri Lanka home. Chandimla played a responsible captain’s knock, accumulating 38* from 71 deliveries, while his partner let loose at the other end, knocking off the remaining runs in quick time. 

Zimbabwe take on Bangladesh – who top the table with two wins from two – on Tuesday in the next match of the tri-series, before Sri Lanka face off against the tournament hosts on Thursday. The final takes place on Saturday 27 January.