Does it in style! Tossed up and this is launched over long-on! Sri Lanka win by 9 wickets and take the series 2-1!
Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, 3rd T20I at Colombo, SL v ZIM, Jan 18 2024 - Match Result
Sri Lanka then lift the trophy as We Will Rock You blares in the background. It was certainly a rocking series, and a great one to kick off a heavy season of cricket - for Sri Lanka and the rest of the world. The Sri Lankans will be in action against Afghanistan for both red-ball and white-ball cricket in a few weeks, but more immediately the Under-19 World Cup is kicking off tomorrow. There's also tons of action in the SA20 and the BBL, so be sure to join us for all of that and more! But for now, it's a wrap from us. On behalf of Chandan and the team, this is Madushka signing off!
Wanindu Hasaranga: "After the second game we needed to do a good job, so happy. We just spoke about fielding and batting, but I think the bowlers and fielders did a really good job. In the second game we saw dew game, so we wanted to chase this time around. [areas for improvement?] As a captain I'm just focused on fielding and the top order batting."
Sikandar Raza: "52 after 6 overs and the to be 82 all out, there's no explanation. The only explanation I have is that we take full responsibility as the players. We're trying our best but unfortunately when we need courage more than skills that's not there. And that cannot be coached or taught, and unfortunately that's one of the reasons today. [Tour?] There's been a lot of good and bad. It's extremes. We've either really good or really poor, nothing in between. Not finding a consistent way of playing at the moment. [areas of concern?] We're having a lot of positive chats, but I'm very big on how we train. A lot of the work is done behind closed doors. Unfortunately we're not training as professionally as we could be, including myself. We're not reading the game well and understanding the situation, and playing accordingly. We're not trusting our skills. Today's one of those days where Craig, myself and Sean had to play a lot of the overs and we couldn't. That had a ripple effect. [Positive] The biggest one has been the seamers and how well they've bowled on a tough tour."
Angelo Mathews is the Player of the Series for his 112 runs and 2 wickets over three games: "For the past 16-odd years I don't think my mom and dad were present [when I've won one of these] so I just want to dedicate this them. It's been a great comeback series for me. I've been working extremely hard on and off the field, trying to keep up with all the youngsters. It's great that I was able to contribute in all three departments. [Role for SL?] It'll change depending on the surfaces that we play on. My job was to try and help us get to a good target, especially in the second T20. It depends on where I bat, but happy to whatever the team needs from me. [Prefer to bowl at the top?] It depends. I've bowled a few overs at the end. If not for my crappy over in the last T20 we could've won 3-0. But nothing can be taken from the Zimbabweans. They've played extremely good cricket and we've had to work really hard to win the series. Credit to them and wish them the very best."
Wanindu Hasaranga is the Player of the Match for his figures of 4 for 15
Time then for the presentation ceremony...
Joe: "Finally a win with overs to spare Thanks to Zimbabwe for a great series "
9.10pm Smiles all around for the Sri Lankans, only dejection for the Zimbabweans. But they can hold their heads high, because despite the end result this was a very tightly contested series. This game though was as one-sided as it gets. Sri Lanka needed just 65 deliveries to surmount Zimbabwe's subpar total of 82. Pathum Nissanka, who had not been in the runs, ended on 39 off 23. Kusal Mendis was also in the runs with 27-ball 33. The win though was set up by the Lankan bowlers, with more than a little helping of loose strokeplay from the Zimbabwean batters.
Just one needed now
length ball, worked to square leg for
full on off, driven straight to cover. That should have been put away
Oh dear, a misfield gifts a boundary! Cuts this length ball late, it's straight a Ngarava at short third and he just lets this through
full on off, pushed straight to cover
Dinuk: "@madushka: DDS batting at No. 3 is not really a rare excursion up the order, that's been his position for T20Is for a while. He was brought in to replace KJP and him batting at No. 3 was one of the main reasons he was selected in the squad in the first place" --- Fair enough. Think my memory of him has been clouded by his ODI exploits.
good length on the stumps, dabbed square on the offside
length ball, misses the pull and is struck on the back pad but well outside the line of leg stump
length ball on off, back foot push towards cover. They hustle for two, and a better throw from Bennett in the deep would have had Nissanka in trouble at the non-striker's end
Smacked through midwicket! This was darted in fuller on the pads, but DDS is equal to it. Clears the front leg and heaves this in the gap
good length on the stumps, defended
back of a length on the stumps, worked with ease towards deep square leg
Tope edges this sweep, but it's safe! Looked to drag this from outside off, it ends up clearing the fielder in the ring at square leg
pushed through on a length. A little too close to cut as this is chopped into the turf
good length on the stumps, defended from within the crease
short of a lengt on off, dabbed fine towards third man for one
fizzed through again on a back of a length, nudged towards square leg for another single. Some confusion though, and a direct hit at the non-striker's would have been curtains
short of a length on leg, worked behind square leg off the back foot
full again, gets forward and defends
full on off, pushed straight to short extra cover
Dhananjaya de Silva with a rare excursion up the order
Beauty from Williams! Grip, turn and the top of off is disturbed! That was tossed up on middle and off, and there was some dip which deceived Mendis as he was drawn forward and then beaten by the flight and turn. This spins past the outside edge and clatters off stump
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R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | |
Toss | Sri Lanka, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2023/24 |
Player Of The Match | |
Player Of The Series | |
Series result | Sri Lanka won the 3-match series 2-1 |
Match number | T20I no. 2436 |
Hours of play (local time) | 19.00 start, First Session 19.00-20.30, Interval 20.30-20.50, Second Session 20.50-22.10 |
Match days | 18 January 2024 - night (20-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee |
Over 11 • SL 88/1
Sri Lanka won by 9 wickets (with 55 balls remaining)