THE Sri Lanka Tour du Zimbabwe 2025 Endlessly disputed at the Harare Sports Club, where the Zimbabwe captain chose to play the first after winning the draw in the first ODI. The decision made sense, given the conditions early in the morning which promised a suspicion of swing and sewing movement. Sri Lanka, with a deep strike order, was responsible for defining a competitive score on what looked like a slightly slow surface.
The new shine of Zimbabwe
Opening quieurs bless Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava immediately put Sri Lanka on the defensive. Their survey lengths and disciplined online rating possibilities have been limited and built early pressure. This pressure borne fruit when Ngarava rejected the opener Nishan Madushka for a duck of 13 bullets, a breakthrough that left Sri Lanka in a prudent position.
Pathum NissankaHowever, standing in the middle of the test fate. Mixing patience with a set of current shots, he anchored the sleeves and built a crucial 100 point stand with the Kusal Meeting goalkeeper. The elegant Nissanka from 92 deliveries, prevented from 12 limits, gave the stability of Sri Lanka when they needed it most.
Pathum Nissanka leaves after having marked 76 🏏#Cricket #Pathumnissanka #Zimvsl #Srilankacricket pic.twitter.com/f8uez0k2o
– Crickettimes.com (@CricketTimeMeshq) August 29, 2025
Middle order for Sri Lanka
While the sleeves entered the middle of the overs, the Zimbabwe spinners have tightened their grip. The veterans Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams played with precision and variation, ensuring that Sri Lanka never fled. Kusal Mendis, after playing a 38 -year -old vigilant hand, fell just as he looked turned. Shortly after, the visitors faced a mini-affective: Sadeera Samarawicrama (35) and the skipper Charith Asalanka (6) left in a quick succession, leaving Sri Lanka Wobbling at 161/5 in the 31st.
At this point, Zimbabwe seemed to have seized full control, which increases the hope of restricting Sri Lanka to a modest total.
Janith Liyanage and Kamindu Mendis arouse a superb renewal
Just when Zimbabwe felt domination, Janith Liyanage and Kamindu Mendis overthrew the script. With intrepid intention, the duo launched a puffy counterattack, adding 137 points on only 83 deliveries. Their clean strike, their clear race and implacable assault changed the momentum firmly in favor of Sri Lanka.
Liyanage was particularly destructive, hammering 70 flows 47 bullets, including six limits and three six. Kamindu equaled the energy of his partner with 57 achievements out of 36 deliveries, decorated with four four and two. Their partnership not only relaunched Sri Lanka, but also placed them in a dominant position before the last Overs.
Despite their brilliant start, the Zimbabwe bowling has failed in the deaths of death. Richard Ngarava was the interpreter off competition, returning 2/34 in 7.4 Overs, including the Kamindu’s counter Mendis out of the final ball. Blessing Muzarabani claimed a counter but was taken for 65 in its full quota, while Trevor Gwandu also picked up a scalp but strongly conceded.
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Among the spinners, Sean Williams was the most economical with 1/26 of 6 Overs, while Sikandar Raza cut with 1/48. Brad Evans remained without a counter despite the bowling of the 10 Overs, ending with 0/57. Fielding Laps added to the misfortunes of Zimbabwe because the errors and the chances allowed Sri Lanka to pass beyond the brand 290.
From 161/5 to a final score of 298/6, the sleeves of Sri Lanka told the story of resilience and the flash. Zimbabwe quieurs dominated early, but Liyanage and Kamindu Mendis assured that visitors ended up, fix an intimidating target of 299.
299 is the target for Zimbabwe to win the 1st ODI 🏏#Cricket #Zimvsl #Srilankacricket pic.twitter.com/ns0sb5t0ko
– Crickettimes.com (@CricketTimeMeshq) August 29, 2025
