Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, Match 2 Match Summary

If what happened in September was not believable, lo, we can do it again, say Zimbabwe. A couple of months back, they bowled out Sri Lanka for 80 and they have repeated the dose, bundling them out for 95. Not too sure about Raza's claims about Zimbabwe getting close to the final, as this is just the second game of the tournament, but this will definitely bolster their confidence. As far as Sri Lanka are concerned, they are the only Test side to be bundled out for under 100 multiple times in T20Is in 2025 - the highest is 4 by Malawi and Thailand. The next game of this triseries will be played on Saturday, 22nd November, 2025 and it involves the Lankans again, this time against a stronger unit in Pakistan. Can they turn the tide and get a win apiece for all three teams at the end of the first leg? Join us to find out. The first ball is scheduled to be bowled at 1 pm GMT but our buildup will begin well in advance. In the meantime, you can catch all the action from the Ashes, India vs South Africa and New Zealand vs West Indies. Enjoy and have fun. ADIOS! TAKE CARE!

The victorious skipper of Zimbabwe, SIKANDAR RAZA, IS ALSO ADJUDGED THE PLAYER OF THE MATCH, for his 47 with the bat and decent bowling figures. On being asked as to how does he feel on being asked to bail the team out of trouble repeatedly, Raza says that he wants to do it all the time. Explains that as a captain you need to lead from the front in every department and when the team sees you do this, everybody else follows the same work ethic. On him consistently doing well in crunch situations, Sikandar says that's why you play cricket - You want to play when the chips are down, do the dirty work, because you are the senior guy and also the captain. So you need to put your hand up and lead the way. On which is his more pleasing part - batting or bowling, SR curtly replies - Neither. Details that the pleasing part for him is the vision bestowed upon him to take the country and team forward. On what does this win mean to him, Sikandar Raza explains that this win has put his side in a good shape to reach the final. Does not want to take anything away from Sri Lanka, calling them a great team and adding that one bad inning does not take anything away from them, but he feels that his side played really good cricket in this match and for around 90 percent of the game, were the better side.

The captain of Sri Lanka, DASUN SHANAKA, is up for a chat. Shanaka says that the team's intent was lacking from the outset. He gives credit to the Zimbabwe bowlers, praising them for finding the right lengths, mixing up their deliveries effectively, and maintaining pressure throughout the game. However, he acknowledges that with the experience his team has, Sri Lanka should have started stronger. He believes that if they had shown intent early on and avoided losing wickets in clusters, they could have put up a much more competitive performance.

... THE PRESENTATION ...

Earlier in the evening, Zimbabwe huffed and puffed their way to 162, with Brian Bennett (49) and Sikandar Raza (47) offering good fight. Wanindu Hasaranga's three-fer gave the indication that the pitch was slow and turn would do the trick but the second innings turned out to be something else. In fact, looking back, that big partnership between Bennett and Raza for the third wicket, reading 61 actually ended up being a match-winning one, as the batters conserved their wickets and did not throw it away. Please stay tuned for the presentation...

Full marks to Zimbabwe for fighting hard. They believed that this pitch suited their style of bowling and they made full use of it. The fast bowlers used their height and rocked the Lankans in the Powerplay with the new ball while the spinners just polished things off in the middle. Brad Evans was the leading wicket taker with 3 scalps but in reality, the pick of the bowlers was Richard Ngarava, setting the tone early with the new ball.

Even if no dew, was this result due? Not sure. Not sure at all. At the halfway mark, there were talks about 162 being 20 short. Ends up being 67 too many! A sorry batting card for the Lankans, with just one batter crossing 11 - skipper Dasun Shanaka with his 34. Only one other batter reached double digits and that shows what a poor batting display it was. The pitch had some extra bounce and the Lankans were all at sea. Barring Shanaka, no one showed any resolve to even hang in there and by the Powerplay itself, the writing seemed to be on the wall. Add to it, this is the THIRD TIME IN 2025 that the Lankans have bowled out for a score under 100 in 14 T20Is. Ouch.

Pinch yourself. This was expected to be a one-sided affair and it did turn out to be, but the other way round! Zimbabwe have pulled off a 67-run win over Sri Lanka, which is just their third victory over the Islanders in this format. And add to it, this is their second win in their last 3 encounters.

OUT! BOWLED! So Zimbabwe do bowl Sri Lanka out. Theekshana backs away to the leg side and Evans fires it full and straight. The batter misses while the ball does not. Off stump out of the ground. SRI LANKA ALL OUT FOR 95, ZIMBABWE WIN BY 67 RUNS!

A length ball, outside off, smeared over cover. No run taken again.

A short ball again, down the leg side, Maheesh Theekshana pulls it towards fine leg and does not take the single.

That was nearly the final ball of the game. A short ball, outside off, Nuwan looks to heave it down the ground but miscues it towards mid off. It should have been a simple catch but Sikandar Raza charging in, gets the floodlights in his eyesight and backs off, with the ball landing in front of him. Single taken.

A good short ball, around middle, Thushara takes his eyes off the ball and his bat hangs in the air like a periscope. The ball bounces, thuds the bat hard and lobs in the air, but does not carry to backward point.

On a length, outside off, Nuwan Thushara plays inside the line and misses.

Final over of the match then. Brad Evans to finish things off. 3-0-8-2 so far.

A good short ball, outside off, Maheesh looks to pull but is beaten by pace. The ball goes off his body towards point.

FOUR! PUMMELED! A boundary alright, but it has come after 4 dot balls. A short ball, outside off, Maheesh Theekshana swings with all his might and slaps it through the covers for a boundary.

A good short ball, from around the wicket, outside off, Theekshana sways away.

Full, outside off, driven towards long off. No run taken.

A short ball, outside off, swayed away from.

Yes yes, no no, all okay in the end. Pitched up, outside off, Maheesh Theekshana drives it to the left of long off and by habit, sets off for the single. Halfway through, he realizes that there is only one wicket left and changes track. Both batters are halfway and there is a possible run out chance at either end, but both batters get back home safely.

If you are wondering why aren't Sri Lanka throwing their bats around, then this is a triseries. Net run rate could come into picture later on. So they want to bat out their 20 overs at least. Try and get to maybe 105-110 or even more, try and keep the defeat margin to as small as possible. Richard Ngarava to bowl out. 3-0-11-2 so far.

A wrong 'un to finish, Thushara blocks it out.

Full and straight, Nuwan Thushara offers a dead bat in defense.

Beaten all ends up. Tossed up, around middle, NT looks to defend but the ball pitches and then whizzes away past the outside edge.

Full, around off, Thushara lunges and pushes it back to the bowler, to his left.

A googly, slower through the air, Nuwan Thushara lunges to defend but the ball misses the inner edge and hits him on the pads.

Short, outside off, Maheesh Theekshana rocks back and punches it through cover for a single.

Fullish, just outside off. Nuwan Thushara pushes it to mid-wicket for no runs.

Nuwan Thushara is the last batter in.