Harare, Sep 3 (IANS) Kamindu Mendis played a sensational unbeaten 41 off just 16 balls to rescue Sri Lanka from a middle-order collapse and lead them to a thrilling five-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the 1st T20I of the three-match series at the Harare Sports Club in Harare on Wednesday.

Chasing 176, Sri Lanka had raced to 96 for no loss, thanks to Pathum Nissanka’s third half-century of the tour, a measured 55 off 32 balls. However, the middle-order faltered, losing six wickets for 46 runs in seven overs and slipping to 125 for 5, bringing the target of 46 runs off the last four overs into sharp focus.

Enter Kamindu Mendis. The No.6 batter smashed four sixes and a four, predominantly behind square on the leg side, as Zimbabwe’s seamers misfired in the death overs. One over in particular from Tinotenda Maposa proved disastrous: with three overs remaining and 34 needed, Kamindu began with a reverse-scoop boundary off a wide yorker, followed by a chest-high full toss cleared over deep fine, a leg-side wide, and another leg-side full toss dispatched over deep square leg. That 18th over went for 26 runs, effectively sealing the match for Sri Lanka, who reached the target with five balls to spare.

Earlier, Brian Bennett held Zimbabwe together with a brilliant 81 off 57 balls. He exploited the deep third, scored 32 off 17 in the Power-play, and was involved in fifty-run partnerships with Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl. Bennett’s dismissal came on Dushmantha Chameera’s last ball of the 19th over, ending a pivotal innings for the hosts.

Chameera was the pick of Sri Lanka’s bowlers, finishing with 3 for 30. He struck early, taking the first wicket, and later bowled exceptional yorkers in the death overs, twice outsmarting batters who tried to manipulate him to the offside. Richard Ngarava was Zimbabwe’s only effective seamer, taking 2 for 19, while the rest of the attack was expensive.

Brief scores:

Zimbabwe 175/7 in 20 overs (Brian Bennett 81, Sikandar Raza 28; Dushmantha Chameera 3-30, Dushan Hemantha 1-28) lost to Sri Lanka 177/6 in 19.1 overs (Pathum Nissanka 55, Charith Asalanka 41; Richard Ngarava 2-19, Sikandar Raza 1-26) by four wickets.

–IANS

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