COLOMBO: Rain put an early finish to Sri Lanka’s opening one-day match aga­inst Zimbabwe on Satu­rday, with Zimb­abwe struggling on 12-2 after four overs when the downpour hit.

Play was called off at 9:00pm local time after pacer Dilshan Madushanka dismissed opener Tinashe Kamunhukamwe for a first-ball duck.

Madushanka, who was sold for $553,000 to Mum­bai Indians in December’s IPL auction, claimed a second wicket in the same over when he had captain Craig Ervine caught at first slip by Sahan Arachchige.

Both of Madushanka’s overs were maidens.

Sri Lanka finished 273-9 thanks to vice-captain Cha­rith Asalanka’s third ODI century in a knock that included nine boundaries.

Opener Avishka Fern­ando departed for none in the first over, leaving Kusal Mendis (46) and Sadeera Sama­rawickrama (41) to post a 63-run stand.

But the pair failed to make the most of their sta­rts, with Samar­awick­rama offering a gentle catch to first slip and Mendis run out.

Asalanka stitched several partnerships with the lower order including a 52-run eighth-wicket stand with Dushm­antha Cham­eera to keep Sri Lanka in the hunt before he was run out in the final over.

Richard Ngarava was the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers after early breakthroughs with new ball, finishing 2-39 after claiming Fernando and Sam­arawickrama.

The seamer came back for a second spell in the dea­th overs but had to withdraw after bowling just four deliveries due to cramps.

Scoreboard

SRI LANKA:

A. Fernando c Madande b Ngarava 0

K. Mendis run out 46

S. Samarawickrama c Ervine b Ngarava 41

J. Liyanage c Raza b Akram 24

C. Asalanka run out 101

S. Arachchige c & b Akram 11

D. Shanaka c Burl b Muzarabani 8

M. Theekshana b Raza 10

D. Chameera c Burl b Muzarabani 18

J. Vandersay not out 3

D. Madushanka not out 3

EXTRAS (B-4, W-4) 8

TOTAL (for nine wickets, 50 overs) 273

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0 (Fernando), 2-63 (Samarawickrama), 3-111 (Liyanage), 4-125 (Mendis), 5-162 (Arachchige), 6-185 Shanaka, 7-208 (Theekshana), 8-260 (Chameera), 9-269 (Asalanka)

BOWLING: Ngarava 6.4-1-39-2 (1w); Muzarabani 10-1-62-2 (1w); Akram 10-0-58-2 (1w); Mufudza 10-0-37-0 (1w); Raza 10-0-41-1; Burl 3.2-0-32-0

ZIMBABWE:

T. Kaitano not out 1

T. Kamunhukamwe b Madushanka 0

C. Ervine c Arachchige b Madushanka 0

M. Shumba not out 2

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-5) 9

TOTAL (for two wickets, four overs) 12

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-1 (Kamunhukamwe), 2-5 (Ervine)

DID NOT BAT: S. Raza, R. Burl, C. Madande, F. Akram, R. Ngarava, B. Muzarabani, T. Mufudza

BOWLING: Madushanka 2-2-0-2; Chameera 2-1-3-0

RESULT: No result.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2024