Sports Reporter :
Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka by 12 runs in the second match of the Tri-Nation ODI series at the flood-lit Shar-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Wednesday.
Batting first Zimbabwe piled up a fighting total of 290 for the loss of six wickets in 50 overs and then they bowled out Sri Lanka for 278 off 48.1 overs.
Zimbabwe made an auspicious start as openers Hamilton Masakadza and Solomon Mire put on together 75 runs in the opening stand before Mire (34) was caught at the short mid-wicket Kusal Mendis off Thisara Perera.
Mire hit a polished 34 from 37 balls featuring five fours.
Hamilton Masakadza and Brendan Taylor contributed together 57 runs for the third wicket partnership before Masakadza was caught at the mid-off by substitute Danushka Gunathilake off Asela Gunaratne when Zimbabwe’s total was 142 for the loss of three wickets.
Masakadza hit a superb 73. His 83-ball innings was laced with 10 fours. It was Masakadza’s 32nd ODI half century.
After Masakadza’s dismissal, Brendon Taylor (38) was cleanly bowled out by Thisara Perera when Zimbabwe’s score was 169 for the loss of four wickets.
Then Sikandar Raza and Malcolm Waller repaired the damage adding together 57 runs in the fifth wicket stand before Waller (29) was caught at the backward square leg by Upul Tharanga off Asela Gunaratne when Zimbabwe’s score was 226 for the loss of five wickets.
Sikandar Raza remained unbeaten with 81. His 67-ball knock was studded with eight fours and a six. It was Raza’s 10th ODI half century. Sikandar Raza was adjudged the Man of the match for his outstanding batting performance.
Raza and Peter Moor put on together 61 runs for the sixth wicket partnership before Moor (19) was caught at the cover by Akila Dananjaya off Asela Gunaratne when the team’s total was 287 for the loss of six wickets.
Gunaratne grabbed three wickets at the cost of 37 runs.
Sri Lanka made a good start with two openers Kusal Perera and Upul Tharanga added 46 runs in the opening stand before Tharanga (11) was caught at the mid-on by Peter Moor off Kyle Jarvis.
Kusal Perera hit a marvelous 80. His 83-ball innings had eight fours and two sixes. It was Perera’s ninth ODI half century.
After Perera’s departure, Angelo Mathews was caught by Sikandar Raza off Muzarabani when the team’s score was 157 for the loss of four wickets. Mathews hit a polished 42 from 64 balls.
Then Chandimal (34) was bowled out by Kyle Jarvis when Sri Lanka’s total was 181 for the loss of five wickets.
Asela Gunaratne (4) was stumped out by wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor off Graeme Cremer when Sri Lanka’s score was 194 for the loss of six wickets.
Thisara Perera fought back making a superb 64. His 37-ball innings was decorated with five fours and three sixes. He was caught at the deep mid-wicket by Sikandar Raza off Chatara when Sri Lanka’s score was 275 for the loss of nine wickets.
Chatra was the most successful bowler for Zimbabwe with four wickets at the cost of 33 runs..
