SL vs ZIM | 3rd ODI: Sri Lanka thump Zimbabwe to clinch series

Sri Lanka thumped Zimbabwe in the deciding third ODI of the series in Pallekele to clinch the series 2-1. Chasing 255, Zimbabwe were bundled out for 70 to suffer a defeat by 184 runs during the course. 

The visitors had a struggling start to the chase after they lost some early wickets and were left tottering at 41/6 to eventually get bowled out. 

Only two Zimbabwean batsmen were able to go past the double-figure mark with Takudzwanashe Kaitano top-scoring with a 23-ball 19. Ryan Burl scored 15 off 46 while no other batsman really got into the groove. 

For the hosts, it was Jeffrey Vandersay who was the pick of the bowlers after he scalped 4 wickets for 10 runs in 7.4 overs. 

Dushmantha Chameera and Ramesh Mendis had a couple of wickets each to their names. 

Earlier, in the day, Sri Lanka were off to a steady start with an 80-run stand for the first wicket between Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis. Nissanka eventually scored a fifty for his side. 

Sri Lanka lost a few wickets at regular intervals in the middle overs but Asalanka held the fort at one end and struck a half-century to help the side put 254/9 in 50 overs. 

Shanaka later lauded the side for playing some good cricket and also admitted that the toss played an important role. 

"We played really good cricket throughout. Toss played a crucial part in the series, played a huge role. It was more on the slower side, we spoke about 270 being ideal. We were 20 runs short by we knew our spinners will come to play. I came after returning Covid positive, Chameera too. So I trained for this series and wanted to do well. Pleased to get the hundred," he said after the match.