SL vs ZIM, 2nd T20I Highlights: Zimbabwe clinch win as Sri Lanka bundled out for 95

“I think I need to keep doing it all the time (being energetic and electrifying). As a captain, you have got to lead from the front in every department. When the team sees the captain turning up for every training session, putting in the hard yards in fielding, bowling, batting it sets a standard. And because we have a young squad, they follow what they see.”

“As an individual, I feel I need to push even more. If my work ethic is strong, it rubs off on the group. That’s exactly why we play cricket the way we do. You want to be out there when the chips are down, doing the tough jobs for the team. I’m a senior guy and I’m the captain, so in those moments the responsibility naturally comes to you. I can’t control the result, but I can control the intent,” he added.

“If I am willing to step forward, then my team will do the same. What pleases me most is the vision from the board down to the team, to take the country forward. When I look around the dressing room and see how the boys carry themselves, how happy they are for each other’s success, that’s the most satisfying thing,” he said.

“It tells me we are moving in the right direction, with dignity and the right values. It puts us in a good position to reach the final, that’s what a win like this does. Nothing to take away from Sri Lanka, we know how strong they are. They had an off day, it happens, and in a way I’m glad it happened against us. But I thought we were clinical. There are a few things I want to address with the boys privately because we can still be better, but for the most part, 90% of the game, we did the right things today."

“Absolutely, it was a tough one. I think the intent just wasn’t there from the beginning. Credit to the Zimbabwean bowlers, they bowled really well with the right lines and good variation. I feel that if we had shown a bit more intent up top without being reckless, we could’ve done much better.”

“Very disappointing. With the kind of players and experience we have, this performance isn’t acceptable. Most of our guys have played enough cricket to make the most of a pitch like this, and we simply didn’t. These are surfaces where we need to maximise our opportunities, but we failed to do that today,” he expressed.

“Hopefully with the quick turnaround, we can regroup and come back stronger. Yes, of course. I am sure he (Jayasuriya) will have a strong word or two. You know the kind of cricket he played, he is a legend of the game and understands pressure situations better than anyone. He has always backed us and given us confidence, but unfortunately we couldn’t deliver today. Absolutely. Plenty of matches left. Hopefully we learn quickly and bounce back,” he added.

Zimbabwe registered biggest win by margins against full-member teams in T20Is. Here are their biggest victories so far.

67 runs vs SL, Rawalpindi, 2025

31 runs vs BAN, Khulna, 2016

31 runs vs IRE, Hobart, 2022

26 runs vs WI, Port of Spain, 2010

23 runs vs BAN, Harare, 2021

Zimbabwe delivered a commanding performance to crush Sri Lanka by 67 runs. The tone was set right from the first over when Richard Ngarava dismissed Pathum Nissanka, and Tinotenda Maposa quickly followed by removing Kusal Perera. From that point, Sri Lanka never recovered. A terrible mix-up saw Rajapaksa run out Kusal Mendis, and soon after Rajapaksa threw his wicket away with a wild slog. Dasun Shanaka fought a lone battle with 34 and even got a life when Marumani missed a run-out chance, but received no support from the rest. In the end, the lower order just tried to bat out the overs to protect NRR. Zimbabwe were sharp in the field and ruthless with the ball, clinching a dominating victory that also gives their net run rate a big boost.

Brad Evans finishes it off. Perfect yorker, Maheesh Theekshana makes room but misses. Off-stump gets knocked back. Sri Lanka all out for 95.

Sri Lanka need 94/9 after 19 overs. Nuwan Thushara 0 (6) and Maheesh Theekshana 8 (13) struggling to score runs on the crease.

Sri Lanka need 73 runs in 12 deliveries. The current run-rate is 5 and required run rate has crossed 39

Brad Evans dismisses Eshan Malinga. Mallinga 1(6) swings hard but only gets a big top-edge. The ball goes high towards mid-wicket. Graeme Cremer stays calm and takes an easy catch.

Sri Lanka 89/9 now. Only one wicket left. Zimbabwe just need one more to win.

Maheesh Theekshana 2 (4) and Eshan Malinga 1 (3) are in action for Sri Lanka after Cremer dismissed Hasaranga.

Richard Ngarava strikes again! He bowls it full outside off. Chameera 1(2) tries to hit hard over point but gets a thick outside edge. The ball flies straight to third man. Tinotenda Maposa takes a safe low catch.

Ryan Burl bowls it short outside off. Shanaka moves away to cut hard but gets a thick top-edge. The ball goes high. Brendan Taylor runs back and takes a good catch.

Sikandar Raza 9(9) roars in triumph. Kamindu Mendis backs away to leg again, but Raza fires in a quicker length ball on off-stump. Mendis swings for a square drive and misses off-stump rattled. Raza registers 100 T20I wickets. Sri Lanka 52/5 after 10.4 overs.

Dasun Shanaka 12 (13) and Kamindu Mendis 7 (7) are trying to stabilize Sri Lanka's batting. SL need 118 runs off 60 balls, with the required run-rate jumping to 11.8.

Brad Evans strikes. Bhanuka Rajapaksa 11 (18) charges down the track, swings wildly across the line, misses completely. The ball sneaks through bat and pad and crashes into middle stump.

Total mix-up, Rajapaksa 6(12) taps Raza to cover and runs blindly. Kusal Mendis never wanted the single, hesitates, then starts late. Both end up at the same end. Easy run-out at the bowler’s end.

Kusal Mendis run out (Munyonga/Taylor)

Bhanuka Rajapaksa 9 (13) and Kusal Mendis 6 (11) are struggling to register runs on the board after Sri Lanka lost early wickets. Zimbabwe have turned the tables in the second innings

0.5 overs: Ngarava’s short ball skids low, Nissanka 0(5) tries to flick, gets a big leading edge, simple lob to mid-wicket. Gets dismissed as Cremer takes a catch.

1.5: Kusal Perera gets dismissed. Extra bounce does the trick, Short on off, Perera pulls, top-edge flies high, Ngarava takes a good catch running from short fine.

Zimbabwe 7/2 after 2 overs

ZIM registered 162 runs after losing 8 wickets. Graeme Cremer 3 (4) and Tinotenda Maposa 5 (4) ended Zimbabwe's innings. They will now want to defend the underwhelming score.

Eshan Malinga knocks over Tashinga Musekiwa with a perfect yorker, middle stump flattened! Musekiwa gone for 11 (7 balls).

Straight after that, the new batter faces a big LBW shout. Sri Lanka review, but ball-tracking shows it’s missing leg, not out!

Chaos for Zimbabwe. Brad Evans pushes a ball to deep point and tries a risky second run. Hasaranga fires a quick, flat throw from the boundary. Kusal Mendis collects and breaks the stumps. Evans is miles short.

Brad Evans run out (Hasaranga/Mendis) 4(5)

Zimbabwe are falling apart in the last few overs. Sri Lanka doing a great job to keep the score low.

Sikandar Raza 47 (32) was hitting the ball well and looking dangerous. Chameera bowls a full ball outside off. Raza tries to hit it over long-off, but slices it a bit. Shanaka runs fast from the boundary, dives, and takes an amazing catch.

Zimbabwe lose their main batsman with only 3 overs left. Sri Lanka on top now

Wanindu Hasaranga is tearing through Zimbabwe.

15.4: Ryan Burl 18 (11). Hasaranga follows up a six by pushing the googly wide outside off. Burl reaches out, gets a thick inside edge and drags on. He stands stunned, shaking his head.

15.5: Tony Munyonga lbw b Hasaranga 0 (1), Low-skidding googly, Munyonga clears the front leg to pull but is beaten by the lack of bounce. Review takea, ultraedge flat, umpire’s call on impact, OUT!

Sikandar Raza 33 (26) and Ryan Burl 11 (8) are in action. Zimbabwe go quiet in the middle overs. Maheesh Theekshana finishes his spell with a tight final over (just 3 runs) to end 4-0-30-1. After Bennett’s painful exit on 49, Raza and Burl have focused on rotation rather than big hits. 30 balls left, 116 on the board. Sri Lanka’s spinners have pulled things back nicely.

Heartbreak for Brian Bennett. After anchoring Zimbabwe’s innings with a classy 49 (42 balls, 5 fours, 1 six), he tries to sweep a full, flighted leg-side ball from Wanindu Hasaranga, gets a big top-edge and holes out to Kusal Perera at short fine leg.

Zimbabwe lose their set batter at the wrong time. Hasaranga strikes at a crucial moment.

Dasun Shanaka oversteps on a short ball to Bennett (pulled for 1 to deep square), handing Zimbabwe a free-hit. Captain Sikandar Raza, crouches low on a pad-lined full toss and hits a massive six over deep mid-wicket. Is the momentum shifting?

Sikandar Raza 12 (12) and Brian Bennet 37 (33) including 5 boundaries have stabilized Zimbabwe's innings after losing early wickets of Tadiwanashe Marumani and Brendan Taylor. Sri Lanka currently have an upper hand.

Zimbabwe recover from early wobble to reach 56/2 after 8 overs. Brian Bennett is anchoring the innings with fluent strokeplay, including multiple boundaries. Captain Sikandar Raza, joins the fray cautiously. Sri Lanka's bowlers mix pace and spin effectively, but loose balls get punished.

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Janith Liyanage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara

Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Brendan Taylor (wk), Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza (c), Ryan Burl, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Richard Ngarava, Wellington Masakadza

After Zimbabwe gave Pakistan a scare before falling short in the opener, Sikandar Raza’s men are looking to make a strong comeback in the second match of this T20 tri-series. Sri Lanka, led by Dasun Shanaka, won the toss and chose to bowl first on a surface expected to offer early help. The action has already started, let’s dive in.