Online Reporter
STILL smarting from their agonising from the seven-wicket loss to Pakistan, Zimbabwe will be hoping to bounce back when they face another Asian side in Sri Lanka as the tri-series enters into matchday two at the Rawalpindi Cricket Grounds this afternoon.
The Chevrons did not get off to the most ideal start of the Pakistan as they lost seven wickets for 37 runs to slip to 147 for 8 when a total greater than 180 had been on the cards during Tuesday’s tournament opener against the hosts.
Still, they pushed Pakistan’s chase into the final over, with their seamers striking three times in the powerplay to slow Pakistan’s advance, before also squeezing the hosts in the middle overs.
In the end, the hosts managed to irk out a five-wicket win.
But it is the flashes of fight that Justin Sammons’ charges showed that Zimbabwe will take into today’s match against a rejigged Sri Lanka side.
Legspinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth has been added to Sri Lanka’s T20I squad for the T20I tri-series as cover for allrounder Wanindu Hasaranga, who has a hamstring injury.
Hasaranga has not been ruled out of the series yet,
The 28-year-old picked up the hamstring niggle during the second game of the ODI series against Pakistan and subsequently missed the third ODI as Sri Lanka suffered a 3-0 defeat.
Viyaskanth joined the team directly from Qatar, where he was playing for Sri Lanka A in the Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament.
He has represented Sri Lanka just once at senior level and made his debut in the Hangzhou Asian Games back in October 2023.
Viyaskanth first rose to prominence in December 2020, when he became the youngest player at 18 years and 364 days to feature in the Lanka Premier League for Jaffna Stallions.
In that tournament, he also became the first born-and-bred player from Jaffna to appear in an internationally televised game.
Viyaskanth was also the second highest wicket-taker in the SLC T20 League in August 2025. Overall, in 59 T20 games, he has taken 67 wickets at 20.98 with an economy of 7.18.
Sri Lanka are also missing their regular T20I captain Charith Asalanka for the tri-series.
He was forced to fly back home with an illness and Dasun Shanaka will fill in as captain.
Sri Lanka play their first game of the tri-series today with Zimbabwe hoping that the changes could affect the rhythm of the Asian nation as the Chevrons hope to register their first set of point in the tournament.
The hosts Pakistan currently lead the log standings with two points courtesy of their five-wicket win over Zimbabwe.
Both the Chevrons and Sri Lanka are yet to get off the mark but the latter is yet to play a match.
A lot of importance has been placed on this tri-series as all three nations will be using it as preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup which is less than two-and-a-half months out.
For Pakistan, this tri-series series is a chance to build on some T20 advances this year.
They have won 18 T20Is to the 12 they have lost in 2025.
That run includes making it to the final of the Asia Cup, and beating South Africa 2-1 in their most-recent T20I series.
Under the leadership of Salman Agha, the batting has had a little more purposeful, even if it is the bowling that has tended to win Pakistan games.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have not had the best of runs this year.
Longstanding firepower issues in the batting order persist, although this is less apparent when Pathum Nissanka fires at the top of the order.
They are also trying to figure out their combinations – frequently seeming either a bowler or batter short against top opposition.
For Zimbabwe, they have blown hot and cold in the format for the most part this year.
The Chevrons booked their place at the T20 World Cup, doing so in some style as they bossed their way through the Africa Qualifiers.
However, that soon followed by a 3-0 series whitewash loss to Afghanistan and then, most recently, the defeat to Pakistan.
Fortunately, they can turn all that around this afternoon when they face Sri Lanka, a side they are all-familiar with.
Zimbabwe won the second T20I during their three-match series against the Chevrons back in September. — Cricinfo/Zimpapers Sports Hub
