Zimbabwe delivered one of the tournament’s most memorable performances by defeating Sri Lanka by six wickets in their final Group B match of the T20I World Cup in Colombo on Thursday. Sri Lanka, who are also the co-hosts of the tournament, deciding to bat, posted a respectable 178 for 7 in 20 overs, with in-form Pathum Nissanka firing 62 off 41 balls.
Pavan Rathnayake provided a late cameo, smashing 44 runs from 25 balls to help the side. Chasing 179, Zimbabwe had a cautious start, with openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani laying a strong foundation. Bennett’s unbeaten knock of 63 off 48 balls anchored the innings beautifully.
Skipper Sikandar Raza provided the much-needed momentum, blasting 45 runs off 26 balls to put Zimbabwe on top. Tadiwanashe Marumani scored a useful 34. Meanwhile, a quick cameo from Ryan Burl, blazing 23 off 12, helped Zimbabwe reach 182/4 in 19.3 overs, sealing a terrific win. With this victory, Zimbabwe finished unbeaten in Group B.