Sri Lanka produced their most complete performance of the tour as Pathum Nissanka delivered a blistering innings to guide them to a dominant nine-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the fifth match of the T20I Tri-Series in Rawalpindi. Chasing 147 in a must-win encounter, the visitors crossed the finish line with 23 balls to spare, keeping themselves firmly in the hunt for a place in the final.
Coming into the match with a five-game losing streak in T20Is, Sri Lanka desperately needed a statement performance. Nissanka provided exactly that with a stunning unbeaten 98 off 58 balls, a knock that reminded everyone why he is considered the team’s most reliable white-ball batter. His innings, packed with authority and control, set the tone for a Sri Lankan run chase that rarely looked under threat.
Zimbabwe, having won the toss, opted to bat first on what appeared to be a favorable surface. However, their innings failed to reach target momentum, faced with the disciplined front shown by Sri Lanka’s bowlers. Mahesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga, both restored to the XI, were the chief architects of Zimbabwe’s struggles, each claiming two wickets and applying the brakes during the key phases of the innings.
Theekshana, who has endured a mixed year in the format, delivered the kind of spell Sri Lanka has been missing from him recently. Handed the new ball, he struck twice inside the powerplay, ripping through the stumps of Tadiwanashe Marumani and Dion Myers. His three-over burst up front conceded only 19 runs and kept Zimbabwe from building any early momentum. When he returned for his final over at the death, he allowed just four runs, finishing with figures that highlighted his renewed rhythm and control.
Hasaranga played an equally pivotal role during the middle overs, removing both Brian Bennett and Sikandar Raza, Zimbabwe’s most in-form pair in the series. Bennet and Raza had earlier attempted to stabilize the innings with a 36-run stand, mixing calculated aggression with rotation of strike. But once the partnership was broken, Zimbabwe was left depending on Ryan Burl to push them to a respectable total.
Burl, who had shown signs of form in the previous match against Pakistan, once again offered late resistance. From 1 off 7 balls, he powered his way to 37 off 26, injecting much-needed life into Zimbabwe’s innings. However, due to a lack of support from other players, especially Tashinga Musekiwa, Zimbabwe faltered in the final overs, ultimately settling for a total of 146 for 5, a score that consistently appeared low on a favorable batting track.
Sri Lanka quickly established their dominance in the chase. Nissanka and Kamil Mishara provided a rapid start, adding 59 off the first 34 deliveries. Mishara’s dismissal did little to slow down the scoring, as Kusal Mendis joined Nissanka to steer Sri Lanka through the remainder of the target with calm assurance.
Nissanka’s innings featured 11 fours and 4 sixes, each highlighting the range of his stroke play. His treatment of Richard Ngarava stood out in particular, taking the left-armer for four boundaries and three sixes in a punishing display.
The only moment of frustration for Nissanka came at the end of the inning, when he ended two runs short of a second T20I century. His final shot, a towering pull for six, was met not with celebration but with a glance to the sky and a rueful smile. He had intended to pierce the gap for four to leave himself the chance to reach the milestone. Instead, the ball sailed past the rope, sealing victory but denying him a personal landmark.
For Sri Lanka though, the bigger picture mattered more. This win snapped their losing streak and ensured that their match against Pakistan on 27 November would become effectively a semifinal. A win there will send them to the final of the tri-series, a position that seemed unlikely just a few days earlier.
With their bowlers rediscovering discipline and their premier batter roaring back to form, Sri Lanka have given themselves renewed belief. If they can carry this momentum forward, the tri-series final may yet feature the resurgence of a team that has long been searching for consistency.
Sri Lanka will be playing against Pakistan on November 27, with the Finals looming just ahead, on November 29.
