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That brings us to the end of our coverage from yet another thriller from the SL-ZIM series. Zimbabwe have kept their hopes alive in the series with a hard fought win. Like always, it was a pleasure bringing all the live coverage from this encounter. Till the next time, this is me (Arya Sekhar Chakraborty) signing off also on behalf of my fellow commentator and close mate Pradeep. Goodnight! Cheers!
Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe captain): Yeah, the good thing is that this is the group of boys who will turn it around. If you say, I will rather win the first two games. It didn't slip out of our hands. We knew the first 6 7 overs would be crucial. Even at the halfway stage I told the guys to be positive and I was very calm. An entertaining match is always good for the game and the fans. I wanted our team to get to 80 in the first 10 overs. We were pretty calm. When we have our backs against the wall, Zimbabwe have a history of coming back.
Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka captain): Our top order should take more responsibility, as I mentioned in the last game. Angelo and Charith played brilliantly. As a batting unit, the top four should score more and especially in the powerplay, you can't lose wickets up front and we made a lot of mistakes as a group. (On whether he should've tossed the ball to someone else) No, Angelo has done this several times before, I backed him and gave the ball to him.
Luke Jongwe is the Player of the Match for his all-round performance with both bat 25(12)*and ball (2-32)! Here's what he has to say: I don't have any words to describe just what happened, just grateful to my teammates, tried hard to get that win out of the way. I've been in similar situation in the last three games where I could've taken my team home and failed to do it, but managed to pull it off today. Firstly when we started, the wicket was on a tricky side and thought we need to restrict them to 130 and that didn't happen, but it got better as the match progressed. Credit to Angelo and Asalanka who put us under pressure. We backed ourselves and give it a shot, glad we managed to get over the line.
Zimbabwe won by 4 wickets (with one delivery to spare)
At the halfway stage, Sri Lanka looked the clear favourites and Zimbabwe needed to get off to a brisk start to harbor hopes of getting anywhere close to the victory target. The Zimbabwe openers Craig Ervine and Tinashe Kamunhukamwe started off cautiously and found it very difficult to get the boundaries away in the first few overs of the run chase. The 22 run partnership ended in the 4th over when Dilshan Madushanka bounced him out with a well-directed short delivery.
The young 20-year-old Brian Bennett was sent up the order and he didn't disappoint. After a cautious start, Bennett started firing and Craig Ervine found a much-needed ally in him. At the halfway stage, Zimbabwe were 69/1 and needed a move on quickly. The 11th over from Dasun Shanaka turned the tide towards Zimbabwe as he conceded 13 runs to open the floodgates for the visitors. Bennett was eventually dismissed for 25 off 20 deliveries by Maheesh Theekshana which started a bit of a slide.
Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams departed early to put further pressure on Zimbabwe but Ervine made sure that they were still in the game. It was Hasaranga who brought about his downfall. It looked like Sri Lanka was back in the ascendancy but Ryan Burl had other ideas. He struck a massive blow of Chameera in the 18th over before his departure but Clive Madande just about kept Zimbabwe in the game with a six off the penultimate over.
Still with 20 runs required off the final over, it was Sri Lanka's game to lose despite the fact that only four fielders were allowed outside the inner ring. Angelo Mathews was handed the ball and he was absolutely all over the place. The first delivery of the over changed the complexion as he conceded a six off a no ball and eventually, there was no coming back for him. Jongwe smoked him for another six before Madande finished the match off with a mighty swipe across the line which comfortably cleared the deep square leg fence.
Madande has absolutely pumped that away for a maximum over the deep midwicket fence and Zimbabwe has levelled the series. Sri Lanka had to run the risk of bowling out their premier bowlers before the final one and that came back to bite them back big time. The agony of defeat for Angelo Mathews. Zimbabwe has enjoyed each oother's company out in the middle and deserves this victory. Clinical hitting from Luke Jongwe and Clive Madande and a memorable win to say the least for Zimbabwe. They stay alive in the series and hopes of winning an away series against a Test-playing nation getting brighter.
19.5 Angelo Mathews to Clive Madande, SIX! GAME OVER! Zimbabwe came out of nowhere to snatch this game. Madande, you beauty! Zimbabwe's dressing room is pumped and a lot to ponder over that final over from Sri Lanka as Zimbabwe came out from nowhere to square the series here, 1-1. Length delivery on the fourth stump, Madande walks right across and then handsomely clobbered it over mid-wicket to seal the game in style.
Unbelievable scenes here at Colombo. The pressure getting to Theekshana on that occasion as he drops an absolute dolly. Frustration at its best from the Sri Lankan dug out. Just two more needed off two.
19.4 Angelo Mathews to Luke Jongwe, DROPPED! Oh my my, Theekshana drops a sitter, has he dropped the match? Back of a length on the off-stump, Jongwe swings across the line but skied it straight up. Theekshana settles under it and then spills an easy one as they pick up a single. Silverwood is livid, absolutely livid out there.
19.3 Angelo Mathews to Luke Jongwe, OH! Mathews goes around the wicket, angled it way outside the off-stump as Jongwe reaches to cut and misses. Umpire doesn't signal that a wide.
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R.Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama, Colombo
