Sri Lanka kept their hopes alive in the tri-nation T20 series by beating Zimbabwe in convincing fashion, thanks to a brilliant unbeaten 98 from Pathum Nissanka. The match in Rawalpindi was full of excitement, especially when Nissanka moved into the nineties and a century became a real possibility.
Zimbabwe batted first and reached 146 for five. Captain Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl scored 37 each, but the total seemed slightly short on a good batting wicket. Sri Lanka quickly took control in reply, scoring 64 for one in the powerplay. After Mishara fell for 12, Nissanka and Kusal Mendis calmly carried the innings forward.
As Sri Lanka neared victory, all attention shifted to whether Nissanka could reach a hundred. Sri Lanka needed 10 runs, Nissanka needed 12. A wide and then a boundary brought him to 92. Many expected him to push for two more boundaries, but instead he finished the match in style with a powerful six, ending on 98 not out from 58 balls.
His innings featured 11 fours and four sixes, showcasing his growing authority at the top of the order. It was also a historic moment: Nissanka overtook Kusal Perera to become Sri Lanka’s highest run-scorer in T20 internationals, now with 2,326 runs. Mendis (2,232) and Perera (2,305) remain close behind, making it an intriguing contest.
Sri Lanka will now face Pakistan in a crucial final league match. A win will take them into the final, while a loss will see them eliminated due to net run rate.