A stunning all-round display from Brian Bennett, Sikandar Raza and Brad Evans sent shockwaves through the T20 tri-series as Zimbabwe demolished Sri Lanka’s batting unit, exposing major flaws and delivering one of the most unexpected results of the year.
Zimbabwe 162 for 8 (Bennett 49, Raza 47, Hasaranga 3-32) beat Sri Lanka 95 (Shanaka 34, Evans 3-9, Ngarava 2-15) by 67 runs
Zimbabwe answered their opening game loss with a powerful performance as Sri Lanka collapsed to 95 all out in pursuit of 163. The disciplined Zimbabwe attack combined tight planning with relentless pressure to walk away with a comfortable win in Rawalpindi. Every bowler contributed, with Richard Ngarava’s control and Brad Evans’ superb three-wicket burst ensuring Sri Lanka never got close. For Sri Lanka, only stand-in skipper Dasun Shanaka survived the chaos with a battling 34 off 25. Bhanuka Rajapaksa was the only other player to reach double digits, but even his 11 off 18 reflected the confusion that defined the innings.
Zimbabwe’s innings had earlier been anchored by Bennett and Raza, who added 61 off 44 and provided the platform that carried the side past 160. Though the finish lacked fluency and the last overs dragged, their earlier acceleration ultimately proved decisive. Wanindu Hasaranga’s 3 for 32 and debutant Eshan Malinga’s promising 2 for 27 offered Sri Lanka some positives, but the collective effort of the Zimbabwe batters outweighed individual Sri Lankan brilliance.
Zimbabwe began steadily after being put in to bat. Bennett continued his recent run of fast starts, striking the ball cleanly during the powerplay. He and Tadiwanashe Marumani built a 26-run stand in just over three overs, setting momentum before Sri Lanka responded with wickets from Maheesh Theekshana and Malinga. At the six-over mark Zimbabwe were 46 for 2, a position that felt balanced until Raza moved up the order and altered the tempo of the innings.
Raza and Bennett rebuilt quickly. Their 61-run partnership in just 44 balls shifted control in Zimbabwe’s favour, mixing aggressive strokeplay with smart strike rotation. Bennett once again fell for 49, but he had already ensured Zimbabwe crossed the 100 mark inside 14 overs. Raza kept going, attacking the spinners and fast bowlers with equal authority during his 32-ball 47 that included three fours and two sixes. With Raza in full control, a score of around 180 looked achievable until Shanaka produced a brilliant running catch in the deep to end his innings.
After the key wickets of Bennett and Raza, Zimbabwe struggled to maintain fluency. The final three overs produced only 22 runs, and Malinga impressed on debut with a disciplined double wicket over. Chameera restricted runs at the death as well, giving away just 12 in his last two overs, but Zimbabwe’s finishing issues did not matter in the final outcome. The total of 162 was more than enough given what was waiting on the other side.
Sri Lanka’s chase turned into a disaster. After six overs they were 25 for 2, their lowest powerplay score in 14 T20Is this year. The Zimbabwe bowlers forced mistakes through tight lines and clinical discipline, causing confusion among the Sri Lankan top order. Pathum Nissanka chipped to midwicket early and Kusal Perera skied one to short fine leg soon after. What followed was a sequence of hesitation, misjudgment and poor running between the wickets.
Rajapaksa and Kusal Mendis combined for 26 balls but scored only 19 runs, allowing Zimbabwe to seize full control. Their inability to rotate strike increased pressure, leading to the run out of Mendis after Rajapaksa struck the ball straight to cover and set off for a non-existent single. Rajapaksa nearly triggered another run out the very next over while refusing a simple single, illustrating the disarray in Sri Lanka’s mindset.
Rajapaksa eventually fell clean bowled while attempting to break free. By the 11th over Sri Lanka had lost their top five. Kamindu Mendis fell to Raza and Shanaka’s lone effort ended when he edged behind off Ryan Burl. The tail dragged the game before Evans cleaned up the innings on the final delivery.
The result highlighted Zimbabwe’s rising confidence and exposed the deep inconsistencies in Sri Lanka’s batting. With keywords such as disciplined bowling attack, Zimbabwe’s resurgence, Sri Lanka collapse and tri-series momentum shifting through this match, the game now shapes the direction of the tournament as the teams move forward.
