By Victor Fanuel
COLOMBO – Zimbabwe stunned hosts Sri Lanka by six wickets in Colombo on Thursday to complete an unbeaten group-stage campaign and surge into the Super Eights with confidence.
Chasing 179, Zimbabwe reached 182 for four with three balls to spare at the R. Premadasa Stadium.
Ranked 11th in the world, Zimbabwe had already turned heads by upsetting former champions Australia last week.
They also defeated Oman, while their match against Ireland was washed out on Tuesday.
Zimbabwe required a tricky 65 from 36 balls when captain Sikandar Raza swung the contest by plundering 20 runs from a single over bowled by Dushan Hemantha, striking two sixes and a four.
Raza and Brian Bennett added 69 from 40 deliveries for the third wicket.
Although Raza fell in the 19th over for 45, Zimbabwe eased home.
Bennett anchored the chase, finishing unbeaten on 63.
Needing eight from the final over, Tony Munyonga launched Maheesh Theekshana’s first ball for six to settle nerves, before Bennett struck the winning boundary.
“We have trained for every situation.
“We have the right personnel to send in at the right time,” said Raza, who was named player of the match.
“Roles are clear, and that’s why you see confidence in the dressing room,” he added.
It was Zimbabwe’s second-highest successful run chase in T20 internationals.
After opting to bat, Pathum Nissanka once again held Sri Lanka’s innings together.
Fresh from becoming the tournament’s first centurion against Australia on Monday, Nissanka followed up with a composed 62 from 47 balls.
It marked his seventh T20 World Cup fifty, drawing him level with Mahela Jayawardene for the most by a Sri Lankan.
Sri Lanka open their Super Eights campaign against England in Kandy on Sunday, while Zimbabwe face the West Indies in Mumbai on Monday.
