Sri Lanka pulled off an exhilarating three-wicket win over Zimbabwe in a final ball thriller within the first T20I in Colombo on Sunday. Requiring six runs off the final two balls, tail-ender Dushmantha Chameera smashed a boundary off the penultimate ball. Then he pushed the final ball to sq. leg, scampering for 2 runs to maintain Sri Lanka’s unbeaten report towards Zimbabwe in T20 Internationals intact. Sri Lanka owed the win to 36-year-old former captain Angelo Mathews who, enjoying his first T20 Worldwide in virtually three years, prime scored with 46.

Mathews had final featured in a T20I in March 2021, and was recalled to the aspect as Sri Lanka look to bolster the group with skilled gamers within the lead as much as this yr’s T20 World Cup.

However Mathews paid tribute to Chameera.

“The perfect knock got here from Dushmantha Chameera who scored these six runs in two balls,” Mathews stated. 

“All our laborious work would have been ineffective had he not related.” 

Sri Lanka had been 51 for 4 when Mathews walked out to bat, and added 32 runs off 39 balls for the fifth wicket with Charith Asalanka.

It was a vital rebuilding interval for Sri Lanka, however they had been again to sq. one when Sikandar Raza struck twice in his final over to scale back Sri Lanka to 83 for six.

Along with fellow all-rounder Dasun Shanaka, Mathews then was concerned in a 55-run stand to take Sri Lanka near victory.

Shanaka, who was axed as captain following final yr’s 50-over World Cup, completed unbeaten on 26.

Sri Lanka required 14 runs off the final over.

Mathews hit two boundaries from the primary two balls bowled by Blessing Muzarabani to carry the equation down to 6 from 4 balls. 

He tried one other huge hit within the fourth supply, however did not clear the mid-wicket boundary and was dismissed for 46 from 38 balls with 5 fours and one six.

Chameera knocked off the remaining runs whereas Sikandar Raza’s sensible all-round efficiency was in useless.

The Zimbabwe captain had prime scored with 62 in his group’s whole of 143 after which picked up three wickets, however that proved to not be sufficient.

It was Raza’s thirteenth T20 half-century. His 62 got here off 42 balls with 5 fours and two sixes.

“We’re disenchanted with the best way the consequence went, however definitely not disenchanted with the best way we fought and braveness we confirmed,” stated Raza. 

“It was an awesome sport to be a part of. We hung in there and we’re not going guilty the circumstances. We’ve got two extra video games and we are going to bounce again.”

The subsequent match is on Tuesday in Colombo.

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