Theekshana, Nissanka hand Sri Lanka ODI World Cup ticket

Sri Lanka 169 for 1 (Nissanka 101*, Karunaratne 30) beat Zimbabwe 165 (Williams 56, Raza 31, Theekshana 4-25, Madushanka 3-15) by 9 wickets

Whereas Raza received himself going with a superbly timed sq. drive, he and Williams had been glad to bide their time as they received their eye in. They had been partly helped by a wayward Pathirana, who bowled seven wides in his first two overs. Raza and Williams then used their toes to place Dhananjaya de Silva and Wanindu Hasaranga off their lengths. Williams first slog-swept Dhananjaya by means of midwicket earlier than cover-driving Hasaranga within the subsequent over. Raza greeted Hasaranga with a pulled six over midwicket earlier than charging right down to belt Dhananjaya over his head.

Theekshana first went by means of Williams’ defences earlier than repeating the drill in opposition to Ryan Burl within the subsequent over. He then had Luke Jongwe lbw earlier than trapping the final batter Blessing Muzarabani to sign the top of the innings. Pathirana in the meantime cleaned up Brad Evans and Richard Ngarava to take care of Sri Lanka’s document of dismissing every of their opponents within the Qualifier for beneath 200.

Chasing 166, Dimuth Karunaratne was given an formative years when Evans shelled him at brief midwicket off Ngarava. Thereon, he and Pathum Nissanka killed the chase with a 103-run stand for the opening wicket. Nissanka exhibited supreme strokeplay after taking his time to get set. He performed three aesthetically pleasing strokes of an Evans over to vary gears.

Nissanka hit 14 fours in his unconquered 102-ball knock to notch up his second ODI century and set Sri Lanka India-bound with near 17 overs within the financial institution.

Sri Lanka’s final sport within the event is in opposition to West Indies, whereas Zimbabwe will subsequent face Scotland of their closing Tremendous Six sport with the winner assuring themselves of a spot on the ten-team World Cup in India.