The outcome of the match was never going to affect the Super Eight standings with both teams through but it was a match to decide who would be on top in the Group and in a closely contested game Zimbabwe came through victorious with a thrilling win by six wickets with three balls to spare to end their campaign with an unbeaten record in the Group ‘B’ of the T20 World Cup at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo yesterday..
Opener Brian Bennett who remained unbeaten on 63 off 48 balls with eight boundaries along with skipper Sikandar Raza who hit 45 in 26 balls with two boundaries and four sixes saw them through with the pair putting on a valuable 69 runs for the third wicket.
Earlier Zimbabwe in their run chase of 179 saw openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani giving them a sound start as the pair associated in a 69 runs stand having posted the side’s 50 runs in 34 balls.
The separation of the pair with the dismissal of Marumani saw Zimbabwe falling back though picking up runs at a slow pace through Bennett and Ryan Burl who together added 29 runs.
Pathum Nissanka put in another fine batting display as he continued his previous match form as he along with his opening partner Kusal Perera kept the scoreboard ticking while accumulating their runs with confidence.
The pair made the Zimbabwe bowlers toil and in the first four overs they hit 46 runs before right arm pacie Blessing Muzarabani made the breakthrough with the wicket of Perera who made 22 in 14 balls.
Kusal Mendis joining Nissanka was a bit shaky as he found runs hard but held on. Nissanka reached his half ton in 34 balls that included seven boundaries. The pair posted Sri Lanka’s 100 runs before Mendis was dismissed for 14 having put on 46 runs for the second wicket with Nissanka.
Nissanka followed eight runs later falling victim to Cremer for 62 which came off 42 balls with eight boundaries. Pavan Ratnayake took over from there on and shared brief but valuable partnerships before being the sixth Sri Lanka wicket to fall with the score on 164 for 6 in the fifth ball of the 19th over.
Ratnayake’s knock of 44 took him 25 balls that three boundaries and two sixes. In the remaining seven balls, Sri Lanka accumulated 14 runs to end with a score of 178 for 7.
