Nissanka's 98* keeps Sri Lanka's hopes of making tri-series final alive

Pathum Nissanka found a timely return to form as he struck a devastating 98 off 58 deliveries to help Sri Lanka chase down a target of 147 against Zimbabwe in just 16.2 overs, with nine wickets to spare, in what was a must-win game in Rawalpindi. The result gives Sri Lanka their first win on the tour, and snaps a five-match losing streak in T20Is. It now means Sri Lanka go into their final game against Pakistan on Thursday knowing that a win will mean they qualify for the final of the tri-series.

Before Nissanka's blitz, Sri Lanka's bowlers had done well to restrict Zimbabwe to a sub-par total of 146 for 5. Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga ended with identical innings-best figures of 2 for 23, as Zimbabwe struggled to push their innings into high gear.

There were starts for Brian Bennett and Sikandar Raza, but both fell at inopportune moments, while a final flourish from Ryan Burl was still not enough to challenge a strong Sri Lanka batting performance. The rest of the Zimbabwe batting once more fell flat. There was also a debut for Pavan Rathnayake, though Nissanka ensured Rathnayake was not required to bat.

After that monumental 107 against India in the Asia Cup, Nissanka's next five white-ball scores read 29, 24, 24, 0 and 17. Not necessarily terrible form, but for a side that relies heavily on his power-hitting to set the tone, it's no surprise that Nissanka's dip in form has coincided with a lean period for Sri Lanka.

But here, with Sri Lanka chasing a middling total and needing a win to stay in contention for the final, Nissanka finally got one to stick. Sri Lanka produced their best powerplay of the series - 64 for 1 - with Nissanka accounting for 37 of those runs. Through the middle overs, Sri Lanka struck a further 73 - and Nissanka 51 of those. And only three death-overs deliveries were needed to seal the chase - a wide, a four, and a mammoth six.

Full or short, it didn't matter, Nissanka dealt with them all just the same. There were sweeps off seamers, flat-batted wallops over extra cover, slaps down the ground, and mega pulls right across the square boundary. Richard Ngarava was singled out in particular, with the tall left-arm seamer being taken for four fours and three sixes.

Nissanka struck 11 fours and four sixes in total. Such was Nissanka's control over proceedings that the final shot of the chase - a front-foot pull for six over backward square leg - had Nissanka looking up at the sky with a wry smile. No, not in celebration, rather disbelief that he had struck six when he intended to hit a four, as the latter would have allowed him to make a run at a second T20I century.

In 11 T20Is in 2025, Theekshana has 11 wickets at an economy rate of 7.78. It is his most expensive year so far - his overall economy rate stands at 6.97 - while also being his least impactful (in which he has played at least ten matches) since his debut in 2021. It has meant that despite picking up 24 wickets in 2024 at a strike rate of 18.7 - the figure stands at 23.1 for 2025 - Theekshana has found himself the odd man out on more than one occasion.

So having been dropped for Sri Lanka's second game in this tri-series, Theekshana was recalled for this match, and promptly handed the new ball. By the time his three-over powerplay spell had ended, two of Zimbabwe's top three had been sent back - he beat both edges to rattle the stumps of Tadiwanashe Marumani and Dion Myers - as his figures at that stage read 2 for 19. Zimbabwe, meanwhile, ended the powerplay on 44 for 2.

Theekshana's final over arrived at the start of the death-overs period, and in it he gave away just four runs. That was four quality overs in the game's most difficult period for bowlers on a good batting track. In a year where he hasn't been at the top of his game, Theekshana seemed to have provided a timely reminder of what he offers when he's at his best.