SL vs ZIM: Zimbabwe's Dominant Win Over Sri Lanka

SL vs ZIM: Putting on a clinical all-round display, Zimbabwe dominated Sri Lanka by 67 runs in the second fixture of the men’s T20I tri-series at Rawalpindi. Defending a target of 163, and with a disciplined Zimbabwe attack, they bundled out Sri Lanka for 95, making a strong comeback after losing to Pakistan in the first match, sealing a decisive SL vs ZIM victory.

Zimbabwe’s Bowling Excellence: Evans Leads the Charge

Almost immediately, Sri Lanka’s chase fell apart under constant pressure from Zimbabwe’s six-man attack. The pick of the match’s spells was Brad Evans’ impressive 3 for 9, which really put the squeeze on at the critical times. Richard Ngarava was equally effective, returning figures of 2/15 as he bowled some tight lines that choked Sri Lanka’s scoring areas.

Only stand-in skipper Dasun Shanaka resisted with a gritty 34 off 25, while Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s 11 was the only other double-figure score. The rest of the Sri Lankan line-up struggled for fluency, succumbing to panic and poor shot selection.

Bennett and Raza Set Up a Strong Base for Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe started the innings as the batting side and built the foundation for their score courtesy of an explosive partnership between Brian Bennett and Sikandar Raza, which might have been the most pivotal moment in this SL vs ZIM fixture.

Fast Start Inside the Powerplay

Bennett carried on where he left off, striking 26 runs in the opening stand with Tadiwanashe Marumani. Sri Lanka briefly recouped the situation through Maheesh Theekshana and Eshan Malinga, who was making his debut, as Zimbabwe were restricted to 46 for 2 after six overs.

61-Run Stand Changes the Momentum

Pushing himself up the order, Raza joined Bennett to rebuild and accelerate. Together, they added 61 off 44 balls, ensuring Zimbabwe crossed 100 within 14 overs.

Bennett fell agonisingly short of a fifty for the second straight match, being dismissed for 49. Raza hammered a confident 47 off 32, striking three fours and two sixes. A brilliant running catch from Shanaka ended Raza’s charge just when 180 looked possible.

Late Overs Slowdown but Total Proves Enough

Although Zimbabwe had a strong foundation in the middle order, they only scored 22 runs in the last three overs and crawled to 162 for 7. Malinga impressed on debut with 2 for 27 – which included a double wicket-wicket penultimate over. Wanindu Hasaranga led Sri Lanka’s bowling attack with 3 for 32. Still, the total proved way beyond Sri Lanka’s reach.

Sri Lanka’s Batting Collapse: A Night to Forget

Chasing 163, Sri Lanka had one of their worst powerplays of 2025, managing just 25 for 2, the lowest of the year thus far.

Top-Order Misfires

The fall of Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera in successive overs triggered a ripple. Pressure created by Ngarava, Tinotenda Maposa, and Evans left Sri Lanka’s middle order stranded and indecisive.

Rajapaksa and Kusal Mendis consumed 26 balls for a static 19-run partnership. A disastrous run-out ended Mendis’ stay, the first of several lapses in judgement from Sri Lanka’s batsmen. The struggles continued for Rajapaksa, who survived a near run-out with Shanaka, before finally being bowled attempting a big shot.

The disciplined plans from Zimbabwe had Sri Lanka at five wickets down inside 11 overs, with Raza sneaking one past Kamindu Mendis to deepen the crisis.

Shanaka fights alone

Shanaka offered brief resistance, but once Ryan Burl induced an edge to dismiss him, Sri Lanka’s last hopes faded. Evans returned to finish the innings on the final ball, sealing a comprehensive triumph.