AI Simulation, ZIM vs SL | Miserly Lions pinch Chevrons on tricky Harare deck to seal T20I series 2-0

Pitch and Weather

Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bat first, given the recent data at Harare and Zimbabwe's chasing record.

Zimbabwe: Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Brian Bennett, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza (c), Ryan Burl, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Trevor Gwandu

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera, Nuwanidu Fernando, Charith Asalanka (c), Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Dushanth Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Dushmantha Chameera

Opting to bat first, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis gave Sri Lanka a blsitering start with the shiny new ball doing little in the air or off the deck. The duo flayed a combined six boundaries and three maximums in the first seven overs, taking the past score 60 before the hosts could come to grasps with the situation. It took Sikandar Raza to finally break the stand with a jaffa that turned sharply past Kusal Mendis' outside edge to kiss the top of off-stump, ending his 18-ball stay for 29. The skipper made it a doubule whammy by also dispatching Pathum Nissanka six short of a half-century in his very next over as the tide shifted in favour of the hosts. However, Charith Asalanka and Nuwanidu Fernando displayed pragmatism to tone down the risks for a couple of overs, making the Lions cruise past 100 in the 13th over before the latter fell victim to Blessing Muzarabani. Kamindu Mendis did not last long either, lobbing one straight to deep square leg while attempting to break the shackles, and the Lankans were suddenly left staring at a sub-par total with five overs to go. However, Chasalanka led from the front in the death with a consecutive maimums in the 17th over before Dasun Shanaka joined the act with a rapidfire 13-ball cameo for 22. The captain eventually ended up just three short of a half-century but his effort was enough to take Sri Lanka to 167/6 at the end of 20.

In response, Dushmantha Chameera ensured there would no repeat heroics from Brian Bennett by sending his middle-stump cartwheeling with a beautiful inducker to bring Brendan Taylor to the crease. The returning veteran began his knock with a couple of gorgeous cover drives for four early on while Tadiwanashe Marumani took the aerial route, yet a succession of dot balls kept disrupting their momentum. Taylor had made his way to 25 by the end of the powerplay when Maheesh Theekshana snuck one through his gate, leaving the scorecard reading 48/2 after six. The scoring rates dipped further once the field spread, culminating in Marumani succumbing to the pressure after a 25-ball 33, leaving veterans Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams at the crease. The latter decided to keep the scorecard ticking and leave the risk-taking to his captain, who responded with two lusty blows in consecutive overs to tilt the scales back towards Zimbabwe. Yet, just when the 60-run stand was threatening to become decisive, Theekshana returned to the attack and had Williams nick behind for a turgid 21, with the Chevrons still needing 52 off the final five ovoers. Raza tried one last hurrah with backto-back fours of Matheesha Pathirana but the paceman had the last laugh with a gorgous inswinging yorker to end the counterattack on 39 off 29 deliveries and practically seal the deal in the Lions' favour. The youngster struck twice more thereafter as Zimbawbe kept crumbling and  finished on 145/9, well short of the 168-run target.

Sri Lankan skipper Charith Asalanka was handed the man of the match award for his 47 off 35 deliveries, laced with four boundaries and two maximums that helped the visitors set a competitive target of 168 on a difficult track for batting.

Scorecard