ZIM vs SL Highlights, 1st T20I: Mendis blitz helps Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by four wickets to take series lead
ZIM vs SL Highlights, 1st T20I: Mendis blitz helps Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by four wickets to take series lead
Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera, Nuwanidu Fernando, Charith Asalanka (c), Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Dushan Hemantha, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Nuwan Thushara.
Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza (c), Ryan Burl, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Tinotenda Maposa, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani.
After being handed a 0-2 defeat in the ODI leg, Zimbabwe will want to bounce back when its three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka gets underway at the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.
The Sikandar Raza-led side lost all its four matches in the tri-series involving South Africa and New Zealand in July after beating Ireland 1-0 in Harare earlier this year in February.
With the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Africa Qualifier event scheduled to begin later this month, Zimbabwe will want to gather some winning momentum, and the series against Sri Lanka will be ideal preparation.
Sri Lanka will also treat this series as a dress rehearsal for the upcoming Asia Cup, set to begin next week in the UAE. Charith Asalanka’s men were dealt a rude shock at home when Bangladesh beat them 2-1 in July, and nothing less than a clinical performance against an underperforming Zimbabwe side will be enough if they are to emerge as a serious contender for the title in the continental showdown.
History favours Sri Lanka, which has beaten the Chevrons five times in six T20Is, but that solitary defeat in January last year should keep complacency at bay.
The first T20I between Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka will not be televised live on any TV channel in India. However, the match can be streamed live on the FanCode app and website in India.
Sikandar Raza (c), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Brad Evans, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams.
Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Nuwanidu Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Vishen Halambage, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana.
Published on Sep 03, 2025
