Skip to main content

Janith Liyanage 95 Gives Sri Lanka Hard Fought Win Over Zimbabwe

A back to the wall 95 by middle order batsman Janith Liyanage helped Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by two wickets in the second ODI of the three-match series in Colombo on Monday. Chasing 209 to win, Sri Lanka struggled as left-arm seamer Richard Ngarava troubled the batsmen with extra bounce. Ngarava claimed the first four Sri Lankan wickets, and picked up a fifth when he dismissed Maheesh Theekshana in his final over. Sri Lanka were  112, but a 56-run stand for the seventh wicket between Theekshana and Liyanage started the fight back. Ngarava finished with five for 32, his career best figures and Sri Lanka started to breath easier when he completed his 10 overs.

Liyanage, trying to keep up with the required rate, attempted to clear mid-off, but did not get the elevation needed and was dismissed five runs short of his hundred.

Liyanage was drafted into the Sri Lankan side for this series after his prolific form in domestic cricket.

His 95 came off 127 deliveries with six fours and two sixes. "I wanted get to the hundred but was disappointed," he said.  

When Liyanage was dismissed, Sri Lanka required 37 runs with two wickets in hand.

Jeffrey Vandersay (19) and Dushmantha Chameera (18) knocked off the target, adding an unbroken 39 runs for the ninth wicket.

More than an hour's play was lost due to rain during the Sri Lankan innings, but the game continued without the overs being reduced.  

Spin bowler Sikandar Raza backed up Ngarava, claiming two for 32 in his 10 overs, but there was not enough support from the rest of the bowlers.  

Zimbabwe had opted to bat after winning the toss, with skipper Craig Ervine top scoring with 82 runs.  

A one-handed diving catch by Sadeera Samarawickrama at extra cover dismissed Ervine, and soon Zimbabwe were struggling. 

From 182 for four, Zimbabwe collapsed to be 209 all out, losing the last six wickets for 26 runs.

Theekshana picked up four wickets, while Chameera and  Vandersay claimed two wickets apiece.

Ervine called it a "well fought game" and was "proud" of his bowlers. "We have one more game and we need to look at squaring the series," he said.

Sri Lanka lead the three-match series 1-0. The first game on Saturday was washed out  and inclement weather could play spoilsport again.

The final game is on Thursday at the same venue.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)



source https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/janith-liyanage-95-gives-sri-lanka-hard-fought-win-over-zimbabwe-4825386

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

156.7 Kmph Sensation Awaits India Debut, Bangladesh Start Life After Shakib

Pace sensation Mayank Yadav is expected to unleash his raw speed while the absence of India's T20 regulars will provide another opportunity to the fringe players in the three-match series against Bangladesh, beginning here Sunday. Having consistently generated speed in excess of 150kmph in his maiden IPL earlier this year, Mayank had drawn the attention of the cricketing world before a side strain ruled him out of the tournament. Usually, one has to prove fitness in domestic cricket to be considered for national selection but the 22-year-old has been fast-tracked into the side considering his special talent. The series against Bangladesh will be a test of his fitness and temperament. It is yet to be figured if he can display the same accuracy and control that he exhibited in the IPL. Besides Mayank, fellow Delhi pacer Harshit Rana and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy could also make their India debut over the course of the series. Nitish was picked for the Zimbabwe tour post the T...

PCB Not Happy With Pak Star Over Social Media Post On Babar Snub: Report

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not pleased that Fakhar Zaman questioned the selection panel's decision to sideline Babar Azam from the Test side. The panel dropped former captain Babar Azam when they announced the squad for the remaining two Tests against England in Multan and Rawalpindi. Zaman took to X to question the decision, inviting the ire of the PCB. "The top board officials are not pleased with the tweet sent out by Fakhar and relevant persons are having a word with him about it," a well-informed PCB source said. "It's concerning to hear suggestions about dropping Babar Azam. India didn't bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023, when he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, respectively. "If we are considering sidelining our premier batsman, arguably the best Pakistan has ever produced, it could send a deeply negative message across the team. There is still time to avoid pressing the panic button; we should focus on sa...

Shakib Al Hasan's Fans Attacked During Protest In Dhaka Amid Tight Security

A group of people attacked Shakib Al Hasan's fans during a protest in Dhaka on Sunday amid tight security, an eye witness said. Shakib Al Hasan wanted to retire from Test cricket by playing the series against South Africa in Bangladesh. The BCB responded positively to his request and included him in the squad against South Africa. But he was advised by the Bangladesh government not to enter the country due to security reasons while in transit through Dubai on his way back to Bangladesh from the US. Fans had been protesting outside the cricket stadium in Mirpur for several days to protest against Shakib's ban from playing the farewell Test in Bangladesh. On Sunday, a group of people suddenly attacked them with sticks. At that time, the army and law enforcement personnel who were there brought the situation under control by blowing whistles. Notably, Shakib officially joined the Awami League party in 2023. He filed the nomination from the Magura-1 parliamentary seat as an Awami...