Sri Lankan spinner Jeffrey Vandersay returned figures of 4/10 to lead Zimbabwe&#39;s 184-run rout in the third One-Day International as the hosts clinched the series 2-1 on Friday.Zimbabwe crashed out for 70 in 24.4 overs as Sri Lankan bowlers combined to defend their total of 254/9 in Kandy. Fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera and offspinner Ramesh Mendis claimed two wickets each.Opening batsman Pathum Nissanka top-scored with 55 and Charith Asalanka made 52 to boost Sri Lanka&#39;s score despite a disciplined bowling effort by Zimbabwe. But legspinner Vandersay made the match his own with career-best figures as Sri Lanka earned crucial Super League points in their attempt to get a direct entry into the 2023 World Cup.&quot;We played really good cricket throughout, but I think winning the toss played a really big role, especially today,&quot; skipper Dasun Shanaka said after the win. &quot;It was more on the slower side, we thought 270 would be ideal, so we felt we were maybe 20 runs short. But we always knew we were in it with our spinners were always in with a chance.&quot;Sri Lanka bounced back from their opening loss despite missing several key players including Wanindu Hasaranga and Dhananjaya de Silva. &quot;It&#39;s really good to have so many good players sitting out, we haven&#39;t had such depth for many years and it&#39;s a good sign for Sri Lanka cricket for the coming years,&quot; said Shanaka.Sri Lankan bowlers came all guns blazing to defend the lowest total of the series that witnessed a successful chase of 297 in the opening match by the hosts who then fell 22 runs short of their target of 303 in the second game.Chameera struck on successive deliveries to send back Regis Chakabva for one and skipper Craig Ervine for nought in the third over of the chase. Sean Williams avoided the hat-trick but soon got bowled by offspinner Maheesh Theekshana for six.Vandersay got Takudzwanashe Kaitano, who made his ODI debut in the series, stumped for 19 with wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis taking off the bails in a flash. Ramesh, who made a valuable 26 with the bat, made it count with two wickets after he replaced Nuwan Pradeep and the opposition batting fell like a pack of cards.Earlier Nissanka got Sri Lanka off to a good start as he put on 80 runs with opening partner Kusal Mendis. Zimbabwe hit back with wickets to dent the hosts who wobbled despite a 56-ball knock Asalanka who became Tendai Chatara&#39;s 100th ODI scalp.Chatara became the fastest Zimbabwe bowler to a century of ODI wickets in 76 matches as he surpassed former captain and fast bowler Heath Streak&#39;s effort from 81 matches.Richard Ngarava returned figures of 2-46 from his nine overs. Chamika Karunaratne, who made 30, and Ramesh put on 48 runs for the seventh wicket to add to the total which turned out to be a winning one.&quot;We&#39;ve put in some really good performances in the first two games, but it&#39;s really disappointing to end the series with a display like that,&quot; said Ervine. &quot;In terms of positives, our opening partnership is definitely a plus. Kaitano has been great and I&#39;m sure he&#39;s gonna be around for a while.&quot;Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

Zimbabwe crashed out for 70 in 24.4 overs as Sri Lankan bowlers combined to defend their total of 254/9 

Pathum Nissanka

Jeffrey Vandersay

Charith Asalanka

Zimbabwe tour of Sri Lanka 2022

Zimbabwe

Sri Lanka

Vandersay stars as Sri Lanka crush Zimbabwe to clinch ODIs 2-1

Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka scored his maiden ODI century while Kamindu Mendis made 57, but it was not enough as Zimbabwe won by 22 runs in the second ODI in Pallekele. The visitors levelled the three-match series with the win on Tuesday.Pacers Tendai Chatara and Blessing Muzarbani led the Zimbabwean attack with three wickets apiece while Richard Ngarava (1-41) and Wessley Madhevere (1-30) offered support as Sri Lanka managed to reach 280/9 in 50 overs.Earlier, skipper Craig Ervine (91) and Sikandar Raza (56) powered Zimbabwe to 302 for eight after electing to bat first. Opener Regis Chakabva (47) contributed vital runs upfront as Sean Williams (48) put up a partnership of 106 runs for the third wicket with Ervine. The hosts used a total of eight bowlers among whom Jeffrey Vandersay (3-51) managed to make a sizable contribution.Chasing a big total, Sri Lanka lost opener Kusal Mendis in the fifth over by Chatara, while Muzarbani sent back Pathum Nissanka and Dinesh Chandimal in back-to-back overs. The Islanders were reeling at 63/4 after Charith Asalanka&#39;s dismissal when Shanaka and Mendis steadied the ship.The pair added 118 runs for the fifth before Ngarava dismissed Mendis in the 35th over. Chamika Karunaratne (34) took the game deep when he added 66 runs with Shanaka for the sixth wicket. But the pair fell in quick succession with Shanaka being dismissed by Raza&#39;s catch off Chatara while Williams ran out Karunaratne in the 48th over.Chatara and Muzarabani struck again at the death as Sri Lanka fell short by 22 runs.The series deciding third ODI will be played at Pallekele on Friday. Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

Craig Ervine and Sikandar Raza hit half centuries in Zimbabwe's 22-run win against the hosts

Craig Ervine

Sikandar Raza

Dasun Shanaka

Kamindu Mendis

Shanaka's ton in vain as Zimbabwe level series against Sri Lanka

Dinesh Chandimal and Charith Asalanka smashed half-centuries to guide Sri Lanka to a comfortable five-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the first One-Day International on Sunday.Chasing 297 for victory, Sri Lanka rode on a 129-run stand between man-of-the-match Chandimal (75) and Asalanka (71) to achieve the target with nine balls to spare and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series in Kandy. Opener Pathum Nissanka made 75 to set up the chase on a batting-friendly wicket. Sean Williams scored 100 in Zimbabwe&#39;s 296 for nine in 50 overs.&quot;Our batsmen showed the class and maturity during the chase,&quot; skipper Dasun Shanaka said after the win. &quot;Credit to Nissanka, Asalanka and Chandimal. We got lot of players on the bench as well. We would want to consider them in the upcoming games.&quot;Nissanka put on key partnerships including an opening stand of 40 with Kusal Mendis. Blessing Muzarabani sent back Kusal for 26 and Richard Ngarava bowled Kamindu Mendis to check Sri Lanka. Nissanka, who combined with Chandimal for a 66-run stand, raised his maiden ODI fifty in 48 balls amid raucous applause from the home crowd.He fell while attempting to hit a wide delivery and got caught behind off Sikandar Raza. But the right-left batting pair of Chandimal and Asalanka combined to take the attack to the opposition before losing their wickets. Chandimal fell to Ngarava who also got Asalanka trapped lbw, but Shanaka and Chamika Karunaratne completed the win.Earlier the left-handed Williams recorded his fifth ODI century after the tourists elected to bat first. Regis Chakabva, who hit 72, and debutant Takudzwanashe Kaitano, who made 42, set up the batting charge with an opening stand of 80.Jeffrey Vandersay broke the partnership with his leg spin and denied Kaitano a fifty in the batsman&#39;s first international but Chakabva kept up the attack. He made the most of a dropped catch on two to raise his fourth ODI half-century before being caught behind while attempting a slog sweep.Williams, who hit nine fours and two sixes in his 87-ball knock, reached his fifty in 52 balls. He was finally bowled by Karunaratne, who finished with three wickets including two in the final over, which ended with a six and four by Ngarava. &quot;We are pretty disappointed that we didn&#39;t come out with a win. We were probably 20 or 30 short,&quot; said skipper Craig Ervine.The second match is on Tuesday at the same venue. The three-match series offers crucial Super League points needed for an automatic qualification for the 2023 50-over World Cup.The top eight teams will get a direct entry into the tournament.&nbsp; Sri Lanka, who are missing several key players including Wanindu Hasaranga and Dhananjaya de Silva, are currently seventh while Zimbabwe are bottom in 13th spot.Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

Chasing 297 for victory, Sri Lanka rode on a 129-run stand between Chandimal (75) and Asalanka (71)

Dinesh Chandimal

Sean Williams

Regis Chakabva

Nissanka, Chandimal, Asalanka help Sri Lanka overpower Williams' century 

Sri Lanka named three uncapped pacers Nuwan Thushara, Chamika Gunasekara and Shiran Fernando for the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe starting on January 16 at Pallekelle. Allrounder Dhananjaya de Silva is set to miss the series as he is on paternity leave while Avishka Fernando, Janith Liyanage and Kamil Mishara are other absentees after they tested positive for covid-19.Sri Lanka also confirmed that Lahiru Kumara and Kalana Perera were left out of the squad after failing the fitness tests while star allrounder Wanindu Hasaranga has been ruled out of the series due to a hamstring injury he suffered during the ongoing Lanka Premier League.The three ODIs will all played at Pallekelle on January 16,18 and 21 and will be part of ICC Men&#39;s World Cup Super League. Sri Lanka are currently seventh in the table with 10 losses and four wins from 15 matches. Zimbabwe are bottom of the 13-team table with six losses and 2 wins from nine matches.Sri Lanka squad for Zimbabwe ODIs: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Minod Bhanuka, Charith Asalanka, Maheesh Theekshana, Chamika Karunaratne, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nuwan Thushara, Ramesh Mendis, Praveen Jayawickrama, Dushmantha Chameera, Chamika Gunasekera, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Mendis, Nuwan Pradeep, Shiran Fernando, Kamindu Mendis.Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

Nuwan Thushara, Chamika Gunasekara and Shiran Fernando were named in the squad while Dhanajaya de Silva is on a paternity leave

Dhananjaya de Silva

Sri Lanka hand maiden ODI call-ups to three pacers for Zimbabwe series

Zimbabwe head coach Lalchand Rajput will miss the first two one-day internationals in Sri Lanka after testing positive for Covid-19 at the start of the tour, an official said Monday.Sri Lanka&#39;s top sports doctor Arjuna de Silva said Rajput was asymptomatic, but was placed under observation at a hospital before being isolated at a hotel.&quot;We are doing some routine tests and he will be able to go back to a hotel,&quot; de Silva told AFP. &quot;There will be a 10-day quarantine period which means he will miss the first two matches.&quot;The ODI series will be played at the Pallekele Stadium in the central city of Kandy on January 16, 18 and 21.De Silva said the other members of the Zimbabwe squad tested negative and will continue with their practice as planned.Plans to stage three Twenty20s with Zimbabwe were shelved because of Sri Lanka&#39;s upcoming tour of Australia. Sri Lanka&#39;s five-match T20 tour of Australia is slated for February 11-20.Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

Ahead of Zimbabwe's tour against Sri Lanka, their head coach Lalchand Rajput tested positive

Lalchand Rajput tests COVID-19 positive, will miss start of Sri Lanka series

Sri Lanka top-order batter Avishka Fernando on Saturday tested positive for covid-19 which has ruled him out of the upcoming ODI series against Zimbabwe.Fernando, who has been vaccinated, will now not be a part of the Sri Lanka squad&#39;s bio-bubble which players were expected to join on Sunday.Sri Lanka has not announced the squad for the three-match series beginning on January 16 at Pallekele. Despite the loss of Fernando, the availability of Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Mendis and Danushka Gunathilaka, <a href="https://www.cricket.com/news/slc-lifts-ban-on-gunathilaka-mendis-and-dickwella-1641565688155" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">whose one-year suspensions were lifted on Friday</a>, is a big boost.The series will be a part of the ICC World Cup Super League. Sri Lanka are currently sixth in the table with four wins and 10 losses from 15 matches played. Zimbabwe are at bottom of the 13 teams in the league after six losses and 2 wins from nine matches.Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

Sri Lanka opener Avishka Fernando returned a positive test before the squad entered the bio-bubble

Avishka Fernando

Avishka Fernando tests positive for covid-19, ruled out of Zimbabwe ODIs

Sri Lanka Tuesday named fast-bowling coach Rumesh Ratnayake as interim head coach for the upcoming home ODI series against Zimbabwe.The 58-year-old will coach the team for the series starting January 16, Sri Lanka Cricket said.Sri Lanka is yet to confirm a long-term replacement for Mickey Arthur, who quit as head coach last month.&nbsp;Former Test captain Mahela Jayawardene -- recently named consultant coach to the national team -- will not be available for the Zimbabwe series as he will be in the Caribbean with Sri Lanka&#39;s Under-19 side.The ODI series will be played at the Pallekele Stadium in the central city of Kandy on January 16, 18 and 21.Plans to stage three Twenty20s with Zimbabwe were shelved because of Sri Lanka&#39;s upcoming tour of Australia.The Zimbabwe series comes on the heels of Sri Lanka&#39;s 2-0 Test series victory over the West Indies.That tour was the last overseen by Arthur, who left last month to coach English county side Derbyshire.Sri Lanka&#39;s five-match T20 tour of Australia is slated for February 11-20.Powered by <a href="https://www.froala.com/wysiwyg-editor?pb=1" title="Froala Editor">Froala Editor</a>

The three-match ODI series will commence on January 16

ZIMBABWE TOUR OF SRI LANKA 2022

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