Zimbabwe defeated Sri Lanka by four wickets in the second T20I of the ongoing Zimbabwe tour to Sri Lanka at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. With this victory, the g??uests levelled the three-match series (1-1).

Charith Asalanka and Angelo Mathews guide Sri Lanka with the willow

Sri Lanka faced early setbacks in their batting, losing two wickets in the second over and Kusal Mendis in the fourth, leaving them struggling at 31/4 by the end of the powerplay. Charith Asalanka, coming in at number 5, displayed resilience alongside Angelo Mathews. Asalanka reached his 5th T20I half-century in 31 balls, amassing?? 69 runs with five fours and three sixes.

Despite Mathews’ initial struggle, the pair showcased a remarkable 118-run partnership for the 5th wicket. Asalanka’s departure at 69 marked a turning point. With 20 runs off 32 balls at that point, Mathews accelerated in the latter half, reaching his half-century in 45 balls.

Dasun Shanaka joined Mathews, contributing to an aggressive finish in the last two overs. Although Shanaka fell for nine off four balls, Mathews remained unbeaten, accumulating 66 runs in 51 balls, featuring six fours and two sixes. Their efforts propelled the Islanders to a respectable total of 173/6 in their allot??ted 20 overs.

Zimbabwe’s stellar run-chase

In pursuit of 174 runs, Zimbabwe faced an early setback, with Tinashe Kamunhukamwe departing for 12 runs. Craig Ervine and Brian Bennett then steadied the innings, adding over 70 runs for the second wicket. Ervine reached his half-century, but Bennett fell for 25 runs to Theek?shana.

The team lost quick wickets, with Sikandar Raza (8) and Sean Williams (1) departing. Despite Ervine’s impressive 70 runs off 54 balls, he fell to Wanindu Hasaranga at a crucial moment. Ryan Burl‘s brief cameo of 13 runs ended with Chameera’s dismissal.

Needing 30 runs off the last two overs, Luke Jongwe and Clive Madande added ten runs in the penultimate over, setting up a requirement of 20 runs off the final over. Jongwe’s impactful innings, including 16 runs off the first three balls, reduced the equation to 3 runs off four balls. Madande secured the victory with a final-ball maximum, guiding Zimbabwe to a hard-fought win.

Also READ: Angel?o Mathews slams Sri Lanka Cricket following his long awaited return to T20I format

Here is how Twitter reacted:

JONGWE! JONGWE! JONGWE!

Zimbabwe keep the wries alive!!!#SLvZIM pic.twitter.com/9Uz9e5p9sS

— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) January 16, 2024

Craig ervi??ne carried that?? innings 💪🏽 Jongwe 🤝Madande with the finish 🔥

— Risus 🌷 (@jossychiedza) January 16, 2024

Zimbabwe chased down 20 runs in the final over. What a game 🥵🔥#SLvsZIM pic.twitter.com/eVGb9FYccL

— Cric_Freak (@Cricfreak56) January 16, 2024

2/32 with the ball ☝️
25* (12) with the bat 🏏

Luke Jongwe is the Player of the Match 👏#SLvZIM pic.twitter.com/TK1T3e6GPy

— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) January 16, 2024

What a match yar
Truely Deserving Victory For Zimbabwe
You are unlucky if you missed last over drama#SLvsZIM pic.twitter.com/MVFxWKUfy5

— Shahid Atk (@ShahidAtk56) January 16, 2024

A ninth half century for the Zimbabwe veteran Craig Ervine off 38 balls. Excellent cricket by the former captain. pic.twitter.com/Fr4oMDaaFP

— Adam Theo🇿🇼🏏 (@AdamTheofilatos) January 16, 2024

So Zimbabwe have finally won a game on their Sri Lankan tour. Craig Ervine's half century and Luke Jongwe's lower order brilliance helped overcome the hosts in style �?/p>

— Behram Qazi 🇵🇰 🇨🇦 (@DeafMango) January 16, 2024

Fantastic innings by Craig Ervine, impressive batting @ZimCricketv

— Devon De Vesser (@devondevesser_) January 16, 2024

30 in last 12 balls & 20 in last 6. C. Ervine, Luke Jongwe, C. Madande are the heroes. Zimbabwe hold their nerves and level the T20i series (1-1) against Sri Lanka in R. Premadasa, Colombo. #SLvsZIM #Colombo #VisitSrilanka #visitZimbabwe #ZIMvsSL pic.twitter.com/rKmWMLJB9d

— Monirul Ibna Rabjal 🇧🇩🇪🇺🇫🇷 (@to2monirul) January 16, 2024

Zimbabwe secured one of the best comebacks in T20I cricket history.💯#SLvsZIM

— Prashanth Indrakumar (@PrashanthIndra1) January 16, 2024

Also READ: Rassie van der Dussen?? names Quinton de Kock’s successor in white-ball format for South Africa

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In the wake of Sri Lanka’s remarkable three-wicket triumph over Zimbabwe in the first T20I, the spotlight shifted to former Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews, whose stellar performance with a thumpi??ng knock of 48 runs pla??yed a crucial anchoring role in securing victory for his team.

What made Mathews’ contribution even more noteworthy was the fact that he received a T20I call-up after a prolonged hiatus of three years. Post-match, the 36-year-old cricketer candidly expressed his frustration, criticizing the Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) for seeming??ly overlooking him for an extended period.

Mathews’ powerful comeback not only underscored his enduring skills on the field but also raised questions about the selection decisions that had kept him sidelined from the T20I squad for such a substantial period.

Angelo Mathews lambasts at Sri Lanka Cricket

Mathews voiced his frustration at being overlooked for T20 World Cups (2021 and 2022) despite delivering stellar performances with both bat and ball in the last two Lanka Premier League (LPL) seasons. He suggested that decisions may have been influenced by undisclosed agendas and expressed disappointment at his team’s failure to qualify for the Champions Trophy 2025.

“In the last two Lanka Premier League (LPL) seasons, I batted and bowled well, but unfortunately, I wasn’t selected for the T20 World Cups, and I wasn’t given reasons for that. “If you take decisions that are driven by agendas, these kinds of things can happen – we haven’t even qualified for the Champions Trophy,” Matthews s??aid in the p?ost-match presentation ceremony.

Also READ: Brian Lara identifies two players cruc??ial to West Indies�?hopes for orchestrating a?????????????????????????? major Test upset against Australia

A look at Mathews’ distinguished T20I career

Mathews has been a key figure in the Sri Lanka Cricket Team for an extended period. His impactful presence in 79 T20I matches has seen him amass 1194 runs, punctuated by five half-centuries. Beyond his batting prowess, the Colombo-based has been a valuable asset to the national side, contributing significantly with the ball. His 38 wickets, coupled with an impressive economy rate of 6.99, underline the juggernaut’s multifaceted role as a seasoned all-rounder for his nation.

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