COLOMBO: Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga made a stunning return to international cricket with a career-best 7-19 to guide his side to an eight-wicket win against Zimbabwe and clinch a 2-0 ODI series win in Colombo on Thursday.

In a game cut to 27 overs a side by two downpours, Sri Lanka’s star bowler, in his first match after a six-month hamstring injury absence, skittled the tourists for just 96.

Sri Lanka knocked off the runs inside 17 overs with Kusal Mendis making an unbeaten 66 from 51 balls.

Zimbabwe had got off to a good start reaching 43 for no loss but the introduction of Hasaranga proved disastrous for the visitors.

Hasaranga’s googly had three wickets by the end of his second over with Zimbabwe slumping to 47-3.

His fourth five-wicket haul is a new record for the R. Premadasa Stadium, eclipsing Angelo Mathews’ 6-20 against India in 2009.

It was also the second best ODI figures by a Sri Lankan bowler behind 8-19 by Chaminda Vaas, also against Zimbabwe in 2001.

Opener Joylord Gumbie top-scored for the visitors with 29.

Skipper Mendis made a 73-run stand for the second wicket alongside debutant She­von Daniel (12) as the hosts cru­ised to a comfortable win with 62 deliveries to spare.

SCOREBOARD

ZIMBABWE:

J. Gumbie lbw Hasaranga29

T. Kaitano c Madushanka b Hasaranga17

C. Ervine lbw Hasaranga0

M. Shumba lbw Hasaranga2

S. Raza st Mendis b Theekshana10

R. Burl b Liyanage9

C. Madande b Hasaranga0

L. Jongwe c Mendis b Madushanka14

W. Masakadza c Chameera b Hasaranga11

R. Ngarava not out2

B. Muzarabani lbw Hasaranga0

EXTRAS (NB-1, W-1)2

TOTAL (all out, 22.5 overs)96

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-43 (Kaitano), 2-46 (Gumbie), 3-47 (Ervine), 4-48 (Shu­mba), 5-67 Burl, 6-67 (Raza), 7-67 (Madande), 8-91 (Jongwe), 9-96 (Masakadza)

BOWLING: Madushanka 5-0-31-1 (1w); Theekshana 5-1-15-1; Chameera 4-0-14-0; Liyanage 3-1-17-1; Hasaranga 5.5-1-19-7 (1nb)

SRI LANKA:

S. Daniel c Shumba b Masakadza12

A. Fernando c Gumbie b Ngarava0

K. Mendis not out66

S. Samarawickrama not out14

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-3)5

TOTAL (for two wickets, 16.4 overs)97

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-1 (Fernando), 2-74 (Daniel)

DID NOT BAT: J. Liyanage, C. Asalanka, S. Arachchige, W. Hasaranga, M. Theekshana, D. Chameera, D. Madushanka

BOWLING: Ngarava 3-0-20-1; Muza­ra­bani 6-0-38-0 (2w); Raza 3-0-12-0; Mas­a­kadza 2.4-0-15-1; Jongwe 2-0-10-0 (1w)

RESULT: Sri Lanka won by eight wickets (DLS method)

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Wanindu Hasaranga

SERIES: Sri Lanka won three-match series 2-0.

MAN-OF-THE-SERIES: Janith Liyanage

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2024