Zimbabwe scripted history as they pulled off their biggest-ever T20I win over Sri Lanka with a thumping 67-run win in the tri-series opener on Thursday, November 20. Sikandar Raza's all-round heroics and Brad Evans' stellar spell helped Zimbabwe hand Sri Lanka a hefty defeat.
Zimbabwe annihilate Sri Lanka by 67 runs
After being sent in to bat, Zimbabwe posted a par total of 162/8 riding on Brian Bennet's 49 and Sikandar Raza's 47. In reply, Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 95, with Evans leading the attack with exceptional figures of 3 for 9. All six Zimbabwean bowlers managed to pick up at least one wicket.
Biggest win margins for ZIM vs full-member teams in T20Is:
67 runs vs SL, Rawalpindi, 2025
31 runs vs BAN, Khulna, 2016
31 runs vs IRE, Hobart, 2022
26 runs vs WI, Port of Spain, 2010
23 runs vs BAN, Harare, 2021
Sikandar Raza stars with all-round heroics
Zimbabwe’s innings was built on the foundation of a 61-run stand between Raza, who made 47 off 32 balls, and opening batter Brian Bennett, who scored 49 and narrowly missed a second successive half-century. Bennett set the tone by hitting three off-side boundaries in the second over. Although Raza was brilliantly caught by Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka at wide long-off in the death overs, Zimbabwe finished strongly, flogging 46 runs in the last five overs to reach their competitive total. The partnership between Bennett and Raza was a repeat of their spirited fight in Zimbabwe’s opening loss to Pakistan.
Sri Lanka's batting collapse
Sri Lanka's chase never gained momentum, starting poorly with the loss of Pathum Nissanka for a five-ball duck. Kusal Perera soon followed, top-edging a delivery from fast bowler Tinotenda Maposa, which saw them limp to 25 for 2 inside the batting powerplay. Captain Dasun Shanaka's 34 was one of only two scores to reach double figures for the team. This defeat compounds Sri Lanka's struggles on their current white-ball tour of Pakistan, having already suffered a 3-0 loss in the ODI series. Sri Lanka will now need to regroup quickly as they prepare to take on host nation Pakistan on November 22.
Captain Raza was adjudged player of the match for his all-round show.
"No, I think I need to keep doing it all the time (being energetic and electrifying). As a captain, you’ve got to lead from the front in every department. When the team sees the captain turning up for every training session, putting in the hard yards in fielding, bowling, batting it sets a standard. And because we have a young squad, they follow what they see. As an individual, I feel I need to push even more. If my work ethic is strong, it rubs off on the group. That’s exactly why we play cricket the way we do. You want to be out there when the chips are down, doing the tough jobs for the team. I’m a senior guy and I’m the captain, so in those moments the responsibility naturally comes to you. I can’t control the result, but I can control the intent. If I’m willing to step forward, then my team will do the same," Raza said at the post-match presentation.