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Zimbabwe rode on Sikandar Raza's sensational three-fer to shock Sri Lanka by five wickets in the second T20I in Harare on September 6, Saturday. With this Zimbabwe levelled the three-match T20I series at 1-1 with a match to spare. The series decider is scheduled to be played on Sunday, September 7.
Zimbabwe upset Sri Lanka by 5 wickets in 2nd T20I
Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 80 runs, marking their second-lowest score ever in T20I cricket, thanks to Sikandar Raza's 3/11 and Brad Evan's 3/15. In reply, Zimbabwe successfully chased down the target, reaching 84 for 5 to seal the win.
Sri Lanka's defeat came with just couple of days to Asia Cup 2025, which is set to start from September 9.
After winning the toss, Zimbabwe's bowlers were in exceptional form and put Sri Lanka in to bat. With the hosts already down 1-0 in the series, their bowling attack came out determined, creating havoc for the Sri Lankan batters from the very first ball.
The top order collapsed quickly, as openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis managed just eight and one, respectively. Kamil Mishara was the lone bright spot, top-scoring for the team with 20 runs. Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, and Sri Lanka's innings was over in just 17.4 overs, as they were bowled out for a meager 80.
The collapse was triggered by Blessing Muzarabani, who took two early wickets, and was then expertly managed by Brad Evans and captain Sikandar Raza. Both bowlers were instrumental in not allowing the Sri Lankan batters to build any momentum. Raza's leadership and bowling were particularly impressive, as he claimed a miserly 3 for 11 from his four overs. Evans was equally effective, taking 3 wickets for just 15 runs in his 2.4-over spell. Muzarabani finished with 2 wickets for 14 runs, and Sean Williams also contributed with a highly economical spell, taking one wicket for 19 runs.
Zimbabwe's chase started on a rocky note. They lost opener Tadiwanashe Marumani in the fourth over with the score at just 20. Just two balls later, Sean Williams was also dismissed, with both players falling victim to the impressive bowling of Dushmantha Chameera. The situation worsened when captain Sikandar Raza came to the crease but could only manage two runs before becoming Chameera's third victim of the night, losing his stumps to a fantastic delivery. Opener Brian Bennett was the fourth to go, scoring 19 before hitting a simple catch straight back to Binura Fernando.
Despite the quick succession of wickets, Ryan Burl remained composed, scoring an unbeaten 20 to guide the team. He was supported by Tashinga Musekiwa, who scored 21 not out, as Zimbabwe reached the target in 14.2 overs, securing a comfortable five-wicket victory. Even with Chameera's excellent spell of 3 for 19, Sri Lanka's low total proved too little to defend. Ultimately, the match was a one-sided affair. Thanks to the brilliant bowling spells from Raza and Brad Evans, Zimbabwe had an easy target to chase. Despite losing some early wickets, they secured the win with 34 balls and five wickets to spare.
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