What a game of cricket!
A high score by the hosts Sri Lanka was chased down with ease by the Zimbabwe batsmen, who played 48 very mature overs of ODI cricket. We at Read Scoops are now going to take you through the game and some of the best tweets form this 1st ODI between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.
The game began with Sri Lanka doing it right at the toss and electing to bat first. As the game began, most of the attention went to the fact that a certain Sanath Jayasuriya was at the ground on his birthday (30th June), not very long after he was in the news for getting involved in a sex tape controversy.
Sanath is the ground, Sanath in the ground. This guy got balls #lka #SLvZIM
— Saminda Kularathne (@KSSKsam) June 30, 2017
Zimbabwe then had the perfect start as they dismissed Niroshan Dickwella for just 10, someone who has been in great form over the last 6-8 months in international cricket. However, Danushka Gunathilaka and the young and talented Kusal Mendis put up a 117-run partnership, with both batsmen crossing fifties.
#SLvZIM | Kusal Mendis becomes the second joint-fastest Sri Lankan to score 1000 ODI runs.
Congrats Mendis! pic.twitter.com/Xey2gamzzl
— ThePapare.com (@ThePapareSports) June 30, 2017
Vice captain Upul Tharanga also continued his good form, batting lower down the order this time and scoring an unbeaten 79*, allowing Sri Lanka to put up 316/5 in their 50 overs and this wasn’t going to be an easy chase at all. Tharanga went past 6,000 ODI runs as well and his teammate Dimuth congratulated him on Twitter.
Congrats @upultharanga44 for 6000 ODI and @KusalMendis1 for 2nd fastest 1000 runs for @OfficialSLC ?
Great Achievement both of U #SLvZIM— Dimuth Karunaratne (@IamDimuth) June 30, 2017
All the talks about Lasith Malinga returning to the team but he wasn’t his old self at all, ending with figures of 1/51 in his 9 overs, bowling a no ball and 3 wides as well. He certainly didn’t do as well as the fans expected him to do.
Lasith Malinga (294) needs 6 more to complete 300 ODI wickets. #SLvZIM #LKA #SriLanka
— Daniel Alexander (@daniel86cricket) June 30, 2017
Opener Solomon Mire kept going for Zimbabwe even though Masakadza went for 5, Ervine for 18 and the visitors were in trouble at 48/2. What a day it was for Mire to score his maiden ODI century (112) and also recording the 4th fastest ODI ton for Zimbabwe!
That proud moment.Well done @kingsoly21 ??????????? pic.twitter.com/1PtsqLsbq8
— iAmEman™?? (@itsEmanTee) June 30, 2017
After that foundation set by Mire, it was a cruise through for Zimbabwe as Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza scored fifties as well. They chased the target in just 47.4 overs, having lost only 4 wickets. A record win, this was, for the team from Africa!
Angelo Mathews is now the first Sri Lankan captain to lose an ODI against 9 different full member nations. #SLvZIM
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) June 30, 2017
The highest ODI targets successfully chased by Zimbabwe:
Overall: 329 v NZ on 25 Oct 2011,
Away from home: 317 v Sri Lanka today.#SLvZIM— Shahzad Tirmizi Syed (@shahzadtirmizi) June 30, 2017
Congratulations to @ZimCricketv have created history at #galle . The first team to chase 300+ in ODI cricket played in SL. #SLvZIM #Cricket
— Sanket Darji (@SanketDSP) June 30, 2017
A good feeling to be Zimbo! Well done! @ZimCricketv #SLvZim pic.twitter.com/LCETvqyR99
— Kunashe Ndondo (@African2244) June 30, 2017
Well played, Zimbabwe!
