The hosts chased down Zimbabwe’s total with eight balls to spare thanks to several contributions with the bat
Sri Lanka (Nissanka 75, Chandimal 75) 300 for 5 beat Zimbabwe 296 for 9 (Ervine 100) by five wickets
On a surface that was not particularly conducive to turn, the seamers of both teams made bigger contributions. For Sri Lanka, Chamika Karunaratne took 3 for 69 and Nuwan Pradeep claimed 2 for 54, both bowling their full quotas. Zimbabwe’s standout was Richard Ngarava, who claimed 3 for 56 from nine overs. Blessing Muzarabani and Sikandar Raza claimed one wicket apiece.
In nine previous ODI innings, Nissanka’s high score had been 24, but batting in his preferred opening position in this match, he was efficient in the Powerplay, finding boundaries throuh midwicket and through cover, as Sri Lanka cruised to 59 for 1 at the end of the 10 overs. He put on a 40-run partnership with Kusal Mendis, and 41 with Kamindu Mendis, but it was during his stand with Chandimal that Sri Lanka really gained the advantage, the pair making 66 together off 66 balls.
Nissanka continued to score heavily off errors of length, and struck at a run-a-ball more or less throughout his innngs, reaching his maiden ODI fifty off the 49th delivery he faced. He was out in the 25th over, edging Sikandar Raza behind, though it did take a review to dislodge him.
Sri Lanka were a batter light in this game, with Chamika Karunaratne coming in at No. 7, but their next partnership made the game safe. Chandimal had begun slowly, as he often does in ODIs, hitting just 11 off his first 22 balls, but nurdled his way into a comfortable rhythm, and even before he struck his first boundary, off his 43rd ball, looked like he would play an innings of substance.
Where Nissanka had remained at close to a run-a-ball or better through the course of his innings, Chandimal was content to be less ambitious. He reached his half-century off his 64th delivery. Thanks to Asalanka scoring more quickly at the other end, Sri Lanka were cruising in their chase.
Asalanka himself had started with measure, but hit two fours and a six in the space of nine balls to get his strike rate around 100, and though he slowed slightly through the middle – Raza, Tendai Chatara, and Ngarava bowling nicely through the middle overs, Sri Lanka never seemed under particularly testing pressure, thanks to the singles both batters were squeezing out. Asalanka reached his fifty off the 57th ball he faced.
He accelerated a little after that, as Sri Lanka’s required rate edged occasionally above a run-a-ball. He struck Ngarava for six over square leg to bring the equation down to five needed off the last 13 balls, then was hit on the pads and was caught lbw. Dasun Shanaka and Chamika Karunaratne took the chase home in the next over.
More to follow..
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo’s Sri Lanka correspondent. @afidelf