Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, 1st ODI - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Twin Bowling Change

Solomon Mire and Graeme Cremer have been brought into the attack together. Some spin for Cremer right away but he would know that both the batsmen at the crease - Kusal Mendis and Gunathilaka - are very comfortable against spin. The wicket seems to be easing out right now.

Recovery Mode On

Danushka Gunathilaka and Kusal Mendis, the last time these two batted together was in the Champions Trophy match against India, where they pulled off a heist. Both of them put together a 159-run stand and laid the foundation for an epic Sri Lankan win. It is a fresh challenge today and one must say, they have started off well..

First Blood

Chatara had to be the one to pick up the first wicket. After that brilliant over to Gunathilaka, where he moved the ball in and out past the outside half of the bat, he gets Dickwella in the following over. Nothing outstanding with the delivery but just smart cricket.

Fired outside off on seeing Dickwella move outside leg, reaches out to squeeze it out to cover. End of Dickwella for the match. First wicket, nice and early for Zimbabwe.

Elevens

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Niroshan Dickwella(w), Upul Tharanga, Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka, Angelo Mathews(c), Asela Gunaratne, Lahiru Madushanka, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Pradeep, Amila Aponso, Akila Dananjaya

Zimbabwe (Playing XI): Solomon Mire, Hamilton Masakadza, Craig Ervine, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Peter Moor(w), Malcolm Waller, Ryan Burl, Graeme Cremer(c), Donald Tiripano, Tendai Chatara

Sri Lanka have won the toss and opted to bat first

The 22-yards story

"The wicket is nice and dry, it looks like a bit harder and I think it will slow down as the game progresses," reckons former Sri Lanka batsman Russel Arnold.

Build Up

It isn't a complicated narrative, isn't it? On one hand there's a side which is touring one of the top eight test nations since May, '15 and thus realise the sizeable opportunity they have at hand. Zimbabwe haven't had the best of times recently, having lost a five-match ODI series to Afghanistan, drawn level with Scotland and just managed to stay ahead of Netherlands.

Sri Lanka are recovering from their humiliating exit from the Champions Trophy, despite their incredible victory over eventual runners-up India. But there's not much to talk about them apart from that. The perennial transition post the Jaya-Sanga era has raised a lot of eyebrows, and now the stepping down of head coach Graham Ford is being seen as a big step backwards. Can the hosts put all of this behind them and come up with stellar performances, something which is expected of them against a minnow nation?

Stay on this page for all the updates. This is Shirshendu Roy and I will be with you throughout the course of the game.

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