Sri Lanka sealed a clean sweep in Harare on Sunday, but not without a few nervous glances along the way.
Pathum Nissanka’s elegant 122 laid the foundation for a five-wicket victory in the second and final ODI, ensuring the tourists chased down Zimbabwe’s 278 with three balls to spare and wrapped up the series 2-0.
Match Analysis
Where Zimbabwe had faltered two days earlier, failing to capitalise on strong positions, Sri Lanka showed the composure required to see the job through. Much like the opening game on Friday, this second ODI went the distance, with the chase appearing smooth until late drama threatened to creep in. Crucially, Sri Lanka had wickets in hand and the depth to absorb the pressure, which ultimately proved the difference.
Still, they made their pursuit trickier than it might have been. In a curious passage of play, the visitors failed to find a single boundary in the final powerplay until the 48th over. Two finally arrived in that set, reducing the target to 12 from 12 balls, but by then the finish had become far tighter than it should have been.
The penultimate over brought further tension. Charith Asalanka, who had been instrumental in steadying the innings, picked up a boundary after a fielder at deep midwicket misjudged a high catch. Yet he was dismissed just one ball later for a vital 71 off 61 deliveries. His departure left the job unfinished, and it required a slice of fortune from Kamindu Mendis. Attempting a reverse lap, he inside-edged a pinpoint yorker from Richard Ngarava past the keeper for four, a stroke that brought the equation down to six required from two deliveries. From there, the outcome was academic.
While the scoreboard may suggest a nail-biting finish, in reality Sri Lanka had been in control for much of the chase, thanks largely to Nissanka. The opener’s seventh ODI century was the anchor around which the innings revolved, as he stitched together partnerships of 48 with Nuwanidu Fernando, 20 with Kusal Mendis, 78 with Sadeera Samarawickrama and, most decisively, 90 with Asalanka.
It was that final stand with Asalanka that effectively broke the back of the chase. Their partnership, scoring at just over a run a ball, ensured Sri Lanka kept pace with the required rate and avoided the scoreboard pressure that Zimbabwe had experienced earlier.
That middle passage of play ultimately separated the two sides. Between overs 15 and 40, Zimbabwe mustered 139 runs for the loss of four wickets. Sri Lanka, by contrast, added 166 while losing only three, a telling 27-run swing that meant by the time the death overs arrived, the equation was firmly tilted in their favour. With seven wickets still intact, the Lankans required only 67 from the final 10 overs – a task well within reach.
Zimbabwe had needed a late flourish to drag their score up to 278, striking 83 in the final 10 overs. For all their efforts, though, the dropped chance off Nissanka when he was on 78 proved pivotal. Had that opportunity been taken, Sri Lanka’s chase could have unfolded very differently. Instead, the opener cashed in, guiding his side to the brink of victory and underlining his growing reputation as one of Sri Lanka’s most reliable limited-overs batsmen.
In the end, Sri Lanka’s ability to manage the chase with composure and partnerships carried them home, even if the finish line was crossed later than it might have been. The 2-0 sweep not only extends their winning run in ODIs but also highlights the growing stability in their batting order – something they will be eager to carry into sterner challenges ahead.
Match Summary :Zimbabwe 277/7 (50 ov) | Sri Lanka 278/5 (49.3 ov)
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