Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI at Harare, ZIM vs SL, Aug 31 2025 - Match Result

RESULT
2nd ODI, Harare, August 31, 2025, Sri Lanka tour of Zimbabwe
(49.3/50 ov, T:278) 278/5

Sri Lanka won by 5 wickets (with 3 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
122 (136)
pathum-nissanka
Player Of The Series
198 runs
pathum-nissanka
Match centre 
Scores: K Vairavan | Comms: Fidel Fernando
Scorecard summary
Zimbabwe • 277/7(50 overs)
79 (95)
59* (55)
2/67 (9)
Sri Lanka • 278/5(49.3 overs)
122 (136)
2/54 (10)
2/53 (9)

That's it from us. Sri Lanka have the trophy in their hands and are celebrating. Thanks for joining us for this two-match series. That's it from Madushka and me. We'll catch you for the T20s later this week.

Charith Asalanka: It's a pleasure to have a win in Zimbabwe. Both teams fought hard. I just told the team to do the basics right. I wanted to see a big hundred and Pathum did that. Young players are doing a good job for the team. I asked the batter to play with less risk and to run hard. Thanks to the Sri Lanka fans who came.

Nissanka is indeed Player of the Match and Player of the Sries: "It's been a little while since I've been among the runs in ODIs, so I'm glad I was able to score some here. I wanted to do well for the team and I trusted myself. It was tougher to bat in the powerplay and the Zimbabwe bowlers bowled well."

Sean Williams: "The series could have gone differently. It could have been 1-1. Today we missed an opportunity to be more aggressive against the offie in the middle overs. The small chances make a bit difference at the end of the day."

Prakash: "POTM and POTS for Nissanka - no doubts there, surely?" Top-scored in both matches too.

Zimbabwe competed hard in both matches and will rue the little moments where they could have made a big difference. Dropping Nissanka on 78 in this match may have been one of those.

In the end, Sri Lanka had too much quality in that top order. Nissanka is having a rich year, and his 122 off 136 was the driving force behind this chase. Asalanka played another gem from No. 5, hitting 71 off 61. It got hairier than it needed to be perhaps, but Sri Lanka largely managed this chase nicely.

Zimbabwe had some bright spots, though. Sikander Raza's star continues to burn bright, with the bat especially, Ben Curran may be a player to watch in the future. And the Muzarabani-Ngarava partnership looks strong.

49.3
1
Muzarabani to Kamindu Mendis, 1 run

short one into the body, Kamindu gets up with the bounce, rolls his fingers over the pull shot, and puts it into space behind square on the legside. It's a comfortable single, and all they need to sweep this series 2-0.

Scores tied.

49.2
1
Muzarabani to Liyanage, 1 run

length ball, slower one again, very wide of off. Liyanage reaches out and gets a toe-end to it. Cover makes a diving stop but can't prevent a single

49.1
Muzarabani to Liyanage, no run

slower ball I think, dug into the pitch, short of a length and outside off. Batter swipes at it and misses

end of over 4910 runs • 1 wicket
SL: 276/5CRR: 5.63 • RRR: 2.00 • Need 2 from 6b
Kamindu Mendis4 (1b 1x4)
Janith Liyanage18 (14b 2x4)
Richard Ngarava 9-0-53-2
Blessing Muzarabani 8-0-52-0
48.6
4
Ngarava to Kamindu Mendis, FOUR runs

reverse lapped for four! Kamindu saw the short fine was in the circle, and suspected Ngarava would bowl full. He set up for the shot and got a thick inside edge, which went between his legs and whizzed past short fine. Sri Lanka will feel much better about the final over with that boundary

Kamindu Mendis is the new batter

48.5
W
Ngarava to Asalanka, OUT

he's holed out to deep midwicket running in. This was another slower ball, into the body, which Asalanka tried to bash over cow corner - one of his favoured shots. Badly mis-hits it though, and the advancing fielder takes the catch on the edge of the circle

Charith Asalanka c Bennett b Ngarava 71 (61b 7x4 0x6) SR: 116.39
48.4
4
Ngarava to Asalanka, FOUR runs

valiant dive in the deep but he can't hold on to this catch! He ran in initially as this toe-ended shot off a shortish ball came towards him. Realised late that he had to run backwards instead, and couldn't quite go there. The ball skips away for four

48.3
1
Ngarava to Liyanage, 1 run

full, almost a yorker on off stump. Liyanage cleared the front foot and tried to swing straight, but it goes off the outside half of the bat to cover

DaWolf: "SL should still win this but this is an example of why it's dangerous to try and cut things too closely. Better to aim to win in the 48th over than the 50th."

48.2
1
Ngarava to Asalanka, 1 run

full, wide of off, driven square to deep point

48.1
Ngarava to Asalanka, no run

yorker through the legs. Collects a bit of boot on the way through. Asalanka tried to whip that through leg

end of over 4810 runs
SL: 266/4CRR: 5.54 • RRR: 6.00 • Need 12 from 12b
Janith Liyanage17 (13b 2x4)
Charith Asalanka66 (57b 6x4)
Blessing Muzarabani 8-0-52-0
Richard Ngarava 8-0-43-1
47.6
4
Muzarabani to Liyanage, FOUR runs

thumped over cover point for four - almost a six. This was a slower one outside off again, and Liyanage just thumped it square over the offside, beating that deep fielder. Landed only a few centimetres short of the rope

47.5
Muzarabani to Liyanage, no run

a good response though. This is a slower ball short ball outside off. Liyanage swipes but can't connect

47.4
4
Muzarabani to Liyanage, FOUR runs

full on the pads and Liyanage flicks this behind square and beats the deep square leg, who dives desperately. Mistake in line from the bowler

47.3
1
Muzarabani to Asalanka, 1 run

length ball outside off, pushed wide of cover for one

47.2
Muzarabani to Asalanka, no run

slower one outside off, Asalanka swats at it but it doesn't bounce and passes under the bat

47.1
1
Muzarabani to Liyanage, 1 run

fullish on off stump, driven to long on

Here's Muzarabani

end of over 478 runs
SL: 256/4CRR: 5.44 • RRR: 7.33 • Need 22 from 18b
Janith Liyanage8 (9b)
Charith Asalanka65 (55b 6x4)
Richard Ngarava 8-0-43-1
Brad Evans 10-0-54-2
46.6
1
Ngarava to Liyanage, 1 run

full, on the stumps, lofted down the ground but long off runs around

46.5
2
Ngarava to Liyanage, 2 runs

slower one on the stumps, thumped over the legside for a couple. Deep square leg cuts it off

46.4
Ngarava to Liyanage, no run

short ball at about chest height, Liyanage swipes at it but misses

46.4
2w
Ngarava to Asalanka, 2 wide

sprayed down legside - so far down in fact that Madande can only get a glove to it and they can run an extra

46.3
1
Ngarava to Liyanage, 1 run

down the track but Ngarava sees him coming and yorks him. Ball comes off the inside edge towards short fine and they take one

Best performances - batters
Spike Graph
Wagon Zone
P Nissanka
122 runs (136)
16 fours0 six
Productive shot
pull
32 runs
7 fours0 six
Control
84%
BJ Curran
79 runs (95)
9 fours0 six
Productive shot
pull
19 runs
3 fours0 six
Control
84%
Best performances - bowlers
PVD Chameera
O
10
M
0
R
52
W
3
ECO
5.2
FTYFGSGS
OFFLEG
RHB
1W
1W
1W
LEGOFF
LHB
B Evans
O
10
M
0
R
54
W
2
ECO
5.4
FTYFGSGS
OFFLEG
RHB
1W
1W
LEGOFF
LHB
Match details
Harare Sports Club
TossSri Lanka, elected to field first
Series
Season2025
Player Of The Match
Player Of The Series
Series resultSri Lanka won the 2-match series 2-0
Match numberODI no. 4900
Hours of play (local time)9.30 start, First Session 9.30-13.00, Interval 13.00-13.30, Second Session 13.30-17.00
Match days31 August 2025 - day (50-over match)
ODI debut
Umpires
TV Umpire
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
Language
English
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