Mishara 73* helps SL cruise to series-clinching win

Sri Lanka claimed a series-clinching and confidence-boosting 8-wicket victory in the 3rd T20I against Zimbabwe. After a deflating loss in the 2nd T20I, where they were bowled out for just 80, Sri Lanka's batters put out a markedly improved show to chase down a 192-run target to not just win the game and the series but to also ease some nerves ahead of the Asia Cup.

On a surface that was much friendlier to the batters than in the previous game, Sri Lanka's openers started strongly and laid the necessary groundwork for their steep chase. Pathum Nissanka took a particular liking to Richard Ngarava's left-arm pace and got underway in express fashion - striking two boundaries in the first over and a six and a four in the third. While Kusal Mendis was content in ticking the strike back to his partner early on, he joined in on the assault in the fifth over - smacking 18 runs off Blessing Muzarabani's over. Even as Mendis was dismissed in the sixth over, ending a 58-run opening stand, Sri Lanka finished with a strong PowerPlay score of 67/1.

Sikandar Raza bowled Nissanka off the first ball of the eighth over but that was the last time Zimbabwe would remain in the contest as a massive 117-run stand ensued between Kamil Mishara and Kusal Perera, who was brought into the XI for this game. Zimbabwe's bowlers struggled for discipline as the Sri Lankan pair tore into them. Boundaries came regularly and from both ends as the Sri Lankan pair calmly navigated their side towards victory. Mishara notched up his maiden T20I fifty with Sri Lanka cruising home in just 17.4 overs.

Earlier, Zimbabwe started strongly after being asked to bat first. Tadiwanashe Marumani was the more destructive of the two openers - striking a four and a six in the second over to get going. Losing his opening partner in the third over did little to slow him down. In fact, Sean Williams' arrival helped Zimbabwe surge further and end the PowerPlay on 58/1.

Williams holed out in the seventh over but his departure too did little to slow Zimbabwe down as they continued to score at nearly 10 runs an over with Raza smacking a big six and a four in the ninth over. Both batters continued to attack and shared a 56-run stand. It was brought to an end when Raza was out caught trying to reverse-sweep Dushan Hemantha in the 13th over. Marumani carried on to bring up his fifty but was out stumped in the 15th over in his quest to sustain Zimbabwe's charge.

But once more, Zimbabwe did not permit the loss of wickets to translate into a drop in scoring rate. Cameos from Ryan Burl (26), Tashinga Musekiwa (18) and Tony Munyonga (13) kept Zimbabwe going and a boundary off the final delivery, struck by Richard Ngarava, took Zimbabwe to a sizeable 191/8. Sri Lanka were sloppy in the field but eventually, those mistakes did not cost them.

Brief Scores: Zimbabwe 191/8 from 20 overs (Tadiwanashe Marumani 51, Sikandar Raza 28; Dushan Hemantha 3-38, Dushmantha Chameera 2-33) lost to Sri Lanka 193/2 from 17.4 overs (Kamil Mishara 73*, Kusal Perera 46*; Brad Evans 1-28, Sikandar Raza 1-29) by 8 wickets