STANDING one match away from what could have been a historic series victory, the Chevrons put up their worst ever T20I batting performance as they were hammered by nine wickets in the decider at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo yesterday.
Three wickets in three balls — two for Wanindu Hasaranga and one for Maheesh Theekshana — saw the Chevrons bundled out for their lowest score in T20I history, just 82 runs in 14,1 overs. Their previous low was 84 runs which came against New Zealand in Providence in 2010 during the T20 World Cup.
Sri Lanka would go on to chase the sub-par target in just 10,5overs, finishing on 88/1. Sri Lanka have now completed the double of the Chevrons, winning the One Day International (ODI) series 2-0 and the T20I series 2-1.
The 170 runs scored in the match is now the lowest match aggregate involving Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in a T20I game.
Speaking after the match, Zimbabwe captain, Sikandar Raza lamented the way they played in yesterday’s game, adding that the tour was one of the extremes for them. He believes there is still work that needs to be done but was impressed with the way his fast bowlers turned up. “50/2 after six overs and then to be 82 all out, there’s no explanation.
The only explanation I have is that we take full responsibility as the players. We are trying our best but unfortunately when we need courage more than skills, that is not there and that cannot be coached or taught, and unfortunately that’s one of the reasons today. There has been a lot of good and bad in the tour.
It’s extremes. We have either been really good or really poor, nothing in between. Not finding a consistent way of playing at the moment. We are having a lot of positive chats, but I’m very big on how we train. A lot of the work is done behind closed doors. Unfortunately, we’re not training as professionally as we could be, including myself.
“We are not reading the game well and understanding the situation, and playing accordingly. We do not trust our skills. Today is one of those days where Craig (Ervine), myself and Sean (Williams) had to play a lot of the overs and we couldn’t. That had a ripple effect. The biggest one has been the seamers and how well they’ve bowled on a tough tour,” said Raza
There was nothing to write home about from the Chevrons’ batting except for a quick-fire innings from Brian Bennett in the first power play of the match. The 20 year old Bennett, who has been showing signs of being a good player, top scored with the Chevrons with 29 runs from just 12 balls at an impressive strike rate of 241, 66. He is the only Chevrons batter who had a strike rate of more than 100 in their disastrous batting show.
Veteran all-rounder, Sean Williams made 15 runs off 17 balls while opener Tinashe Kamunhukamwe fell for 12 runs after facing 14 balls. The skipper, Raza was caught after a poort shot on 10 runs from 12 balls.
The Chevrons lost six wickets for just 11 runs. It was Hasaranga, once again who proved a class above the Zimbabwean batting order with ball in hand for the hosts. The Lankan skipper produced yet another spell for the ages as he took 4/15 runs in his four overs. Hasaranga took two wickets in two balls in his last couple of deliveries in his final over and will be on a hat-trick in his next T20I match. Theekshana finished with figures of 2/14 in 3,1 overs while Angelo Mathews took two scalps as well, conceding 15 runs in two overs. The other two wicket takers for Sri Lanka were Dilshan Madushanka and Dhananjaya De Silva.
Sri Lankan batters would comfortably chase down the target with ease, losing just one wicket as the Chevrons bowlers were made to toil while trying to defend the sub-par total. The only wicket that fell was taken by Williams who hit the top of off, deceiving Kusal Mendis for 33 runs off 27 balls.
Pathum Nissanka finished off the match in style with a six over long-on to finish on 39 runs not out off 23 balls. De Silva finished with 15 runs not out off as many deliveries.
The first two matches went down the wire with both teams bringing their best, however yesterday’s encounter was one sided, dominated by the hosts.
