Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE’S T20I series against Sri Lanka began in heartbreak — eerily reminiscent of the ODI defeats that preceded it. For long stretches, the Chevrons appeared poised for victory, only to lose their grip in the final overs as the visitors snatched a dramatic win.
Set a target of 176, Sri Lanka reached it with five balls to spare, finishing on 177/6 after Zimbabwe’s bowlers faltered at the death. The pivotal moment came in the 18th over, when young seamer Tinotenda Maposa conceded 26 runs with Sri Lanka still needing 34 from 18 balls. Until then, the 22-year-old had bowled with discipline, but that single over swung the match decisively out of Zimbabwe’s reach.
Captain Sikandar Raza refused to criticise his bowler, instead expressing confidence that Maposa would learn from the experience.
“I thought we were in the game for 19 overs, but it was one over that went for 20-odd that turned the match. These are the experiences the young lads need to go through, but hopefully he nails his yorkers next time. We knew the second innings could be tough to bat in, but Kamindu (Mendis) played brilliantly. Unfortunately, when we find ourselves in winning positions there’s a bit of panic, but I hope once we get some wins under our belt, we’ll start closing out more games,” said Raza.
Earlier, Zimbabwe had been sent in to bat and posted 175/7—around 20 runs short of their target. The backbone of the innings was Brian Bennett, whose thrilling 81 off 57 balls anchored the hosts. He shared partnerships of 50 with Raza (28 off 22) and 51 with Ryan Burl (17 off 15), before falling at the end of the 19th over. Sean Williams added 14, while Tadiwanashe Marumani’s struggles continued — dismissed for seven, extending his barren run to seven T20I innings without reaching double figures.
Sri Lanka’s reply began brightly with a 96-run opening stand between Pathum Nissanka (55 off 32) and Avishka Fernando. Maposa eventually made the breakthrough in the 11th over, but the visitors still looked comfortable until a middle-order wobble reduced them to 125/5. Zimbabwe sensed an opening, only for Kamindu Mendis to smash an unbeaten 41 off 16 balls to seal the win.
Richard Ngarava was the standout bowler, returning figures of 2/19 from four overs, but Zimbabwe’s attack as a whole misfired. Blessing Muzarabani leaked 41 runs in just 3,1 overs, Maposa went for 47 from his full four, while Raza and Bradley Evans also struggled to maintain control.
The match still produced milestones. The 352 combined runs marked the highest match aggregate between the two sides in T20Is, surpassing the 351 from January last year. Raza also claimed his 47th T20I catch, overtaking Burl as Zimbabwe’s all-time leader.
For Zimbabwe, it was another reminder of how small lapses can undo long spells of good cricket. They will be hoping for a turnaround when the teams meet again on Saturday.
