2010 Zimbabwe Tri-Series – Zimbabwe Versus Sri Lanka, Sixth ODI
The final group match of the 2010 Tri-Series in Zimbabwe was of academic value to the participating teams. Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka were already through to the final, with India being eliminated in the penultimate match. Having defeated Zimbabwe earlier in the tournament, Sri Lanka was seeking to keep the momentum up against the home side. Zimbabwe was merely seeking to even the scores to give them a psychological edge heading into the final.
Sri Lanka batted first in this match, with Tillekeratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga opening the batting for the Asian islanders. They gave Sri Lanka a commanding start with a 122-run partnership for the first wicket off just 122 balls. Dilshan was the first out after scoring 78 off 66 balls. After the promising start, Sri Lanka lost Dinesh Chandimal (6) and Chamara Kapugedera (12) were back in the pavilion shortly afterwards; Sri Lanka was 155/3 after 29.3 overs. Thilan Samaraweera joined Tharanga and the two tried to steady the innings. However, with the score on 181, Tharanga fell to Graeme Cremer for 69.
Zimbabwe’s spinners restricted the visitors and managed to take vital wickets in the middle and lower order. Sri Lanka collapsed from 192/4 to 219/8. The lower order managed to scrape a few runs at the end, but the Asians were bowled out for 236 in the 48th over. Apart from the openers, no other batsmen dominated the Zimbabwe spinners. Chris Mpofu, Graeme Cremer and Prosper Utseya took two wickets each for the home side.
In their run chase, Zimbabwe had an average start when Hamilton Masakadza fell to Thilan Thushara for three runs; Zimbabwe was 14/1 in the fifth over. However, the home side did not falter as one might have expected. Chamu Chibhabha joined Brendan Taylor and the two batsmen took Zimbabwe’s score to 148, before Dilshan’s part-time spin accounted for Chibhabha (58). Tatenda Taibu joined Taylor and the two helped the home side past the Sri Lankan’s total. Taylor forged a magnificent unbeaten century (119* off 137 balls), while Taibu chipped in with 42 off 55 balls.
The Zimbabweans won the match by eight wickets with 13 balls to spare. It was a resounding victory and meant the home side won three out of four group matches against India and Sri Lanka. For his well crafted 119, Brendan Taylor was the player of the match. The teams would face off again in the Tri-Series final, with Sri Lanka aiming to reverse this result.