Sri Lanka stayed firmly in the race for the tri-series final with a commanding nine-wicket win over Zimbabwe in Colombo on Tuesday.
The victory came just days after Zimbabwe had stunned them, and this time the hosts responded with a near-flawless performance built around Pathum Nissanka’s sparkling unbeaten 98.
Zimbabwe, put into bat, never quite recovered from Maheesh Theekshana’s early strikes. The off-spinner removed Tadiwanashe Marumani and Dion Myers in quick succession, leaving the visitors rattled.
A brief burst of momentum arrived through Brian Bennett’s busy start and a steady partnership between Bennett and Sikandar Raza. At 85/2 after 12 overs, Zimbabwe looked poised for a strong finish.
But Wanindu Hasaranga turned the game again, dismissing both set batters in successive overs. Ryan Burl did his best to lift the innings with an unbeaten 37, but with partners falling around him, Zimbabwe could only reach 146/5 far from a daunting total on this surface.
Sri Lanka needed a near-impossible powerplay chase to improve their net run rate, but Nissanka still came out with intent.
The opener struck four boundaries in the fifth over alone, setting the tone for a clinical pursuit. Even after Kamil Mishara departed for a scratchy 7, Nissanka kept attacking, launching Richard Ngarava for two sixes in an over and raising hopes of a memorable century. He finished two short, but his 58-ball effort sealed the chase with 22 deliveries remaining.
Sri Lanka must now defeat Pakistan in their final league match to set up a rematch in the final.