Comeback man Wanindu Hasaranga claimed his career-best seven wickets-haul to help Sri Lanka defeat Zimbabwe by eight wickets in the rain-shortened third one-day international, securing a 2-0 series victory on the home soil. It was the Sri Lankan bowler’s second-best performance in ODIs.
Hasaranga made the much-awaited return to international cricket against Zimbabwe and impressed everyone with his match-winning performance. The 26-year-old has not played a T20I since April last year while his last appearance in ODIs came in July and an unfortunate injury forced him to miss the Asia Cup as well as the ODI World Cup.
Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervin won the toss and decided to bat first. Joylord Gumbie and Takudzwanashe Kaitano got the tourists off to a terrific start, scoring 40 runs before rain interrupted play in the eighth over. Despite a good start, Zimbabwe was bowled out for 96 runs in the 23rd over after two rain breaks.
Following two significant rain delays, the match was reduced to 27 overs on each side. Sri Lanka scored 97/2 with more than ten overs remaining. Sri Lanka skipper Kusal Mendis scored his 27th ODI half-century, smashing 66 off 51 deliveries.
Meanwhile, Wanindu Hasaranga returned with Sri Lanka’s second-best ODI bowling figures, 7/19 in 5.5 overs, including the vital scalp of Zimbabwe skipper Craig Ervine, who was out for a duck. Legendary pacer Chaminda Vaas holds the record for the best 50-over performance (8/19), which he also achieved against Zimbabwe in 2001.
Hasaranga is well-known for his versatile bowling style in the white-ball format of the game. The 26-year-old possesses a good googly and can bowl the flipper quite well alongside his power-hitting abilities. These elements make him such a dangerman in white-ball cricket and he would like to take his form to the T20 format.
The 26-year-old will captain Sri Lanka in their three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, which begins on Sunday, January 14. Hasaranga’s promotion to skipper follows a remarkable T20I record and domestic records. The 26-year-old has taken 91 wickets in 58 T20Is with an economy rate of 6.89 alongside his lower-order batting.
Sri Lanka squad for T20Is vs Zimbabwe: Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kusal Janith Perera, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Pathum Nissanka – subject to fitness, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, Akila Dananjaya.