COLOMBO: The opening match of the one-day series between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe faced an early conclusion due to continued rain on Saturday. Zimbabwe found themselves at 12-2 after four overs when play was halted, with left-arm quick Dilshan Madushanka making a notable impact with two wickets in the truncated encounter.
Madushanka, recently auctioned for $553,000 to the Mumbai Indians in December’s IPL auction, showcased his skills by dismissing opener Tinashe Kamunhukamwe for a first-ball duck and then having captain Craig Ervine caught at first slip by Sahan Arachchige in the same over. Impressively, both of Madushanka’s overs were maidens.
Sri Lanka Batting Against Zimbabwe
Sri Lanka, batting first, posted a total of 273-9, largely fueled by the exceptional performance of vice-captain Charith Asalanka, who notched up his third ODI century. Asalanka’s innings featured nine boundaries and played a crucial role in steering Sri Lanka to a competitive total.
The Sri Lankan batting lineup faced early adversity when opener Avishka Fernando departed without scoring in the first over. However, Kusal Mendis (46) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (41) orchestrated a 63-run partnership before both fell short of converting their starts into substantial innings.
Asalanka, anchoring the innings with notable partnerships, contributed significantly, including a crucial 52-run eighth-wicket stand with Dushmantha Chameera. Despite Asalanka’s efforts, he was run out in the final over.
Zimbabwe’s Richard Ngarava emerged as a standout performer among the bowlers, claiming 2-39 with key breakthroughs, dismissing Fernando and Samarawickrama. However, his second spell was cut short due to cramps after delivering only four deliveries.
The rain-affected match sets the stage for the upcoming encounters, with two more one-day matches scheduled for Monday and Thursday, followed by a series of three T20 games, all to be played in Colombo.
