Sri Lanka Secures Historic ODI Series Win Against Zimbabwe

HARARE, Zimbabwe — Sri Lanka clinched a five-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the second ODI, concluding a six-year dry spell for the island nation. This win marks their first ODI series victory away from home since 2019, previously achieved against Scotland.

Pathum Nissanka was instrumental in the series decider, scoring 122 runs off 136 deliveries, including 16 fours. His effort laid the foundation for the team’s successful chase of 278 runs. Following the match, Nissanka expressed: “It has been a little while since I have been among the runs in one-day internationals, so I am glad I was able to score some here. I wanted to do well for the team and I trusted myself.”

Nissanka’s performance followed a critical 76 runs in the first ODI, which helped Sri Lanka to a 1-0 lead in the series. Skipper Charith Asalanka also contributed significantly, making 71 runs off 61 balls. He praised Nissanka, stating, “I wanted to see a big hundred and Pathum supplied that. Young players are doing a good job for the team.”

Zimbabwe’s captain, Sean Williams, acknowledged missed opportunities that could have changed the series outcome. “The series could have gone differently. It could have been 1-1. Today we missed an opportunity to be more aggressive when batting in the middle overs,” Williams said.

Sri Lanka will face Zimbabwe again, with their next match scheduled for September 3. This series win is a significant morale boost for the team as they look to build on their recent success.