24/11Result
3rd ODI, Sri Lanka tour of Zimbabwe at Harare, Nov 24 2008
Sri Lanka won by 5 runs
Player of the Match
Hamilton Masakadza
Hamilton MasakadzaZimbabwe
24/11Result
3rd ODI, Sri Lanka tour of Zimbabwe at Harare, Nov 24 2008
Sri Lanka won by 5 runs
Player of the Match
Hamilton Masakadza
Hamilton MasakadzaZimbabwe

END OF OVER:
28 | 4 Runs 2 Wkts | ZIM: 166/7 (6 runs required, RR: 5.92)

  • Sean Williams2 (3b)
  • Muthiah Muralidaran6-0-20-2
  • Ajantha Mendis6-0-36-2

What a match! Zimbabwe were down and out at the end of the second ODI but they have given their critics a sound reply here by pushing Sri Lanka to the finish. Zimbabwe were the favourites to win this game after Masakadza and Sibanda gave them a superb start, and the 68-run partnership between Taibu and Masakdza had more or less sealed it for the home team. But timely breakthroughs by Mendis and Kulasekara gave Sri Lanka a sniff at pulling it back. Mendis proved expensive, and went for 11 in the penultimate over. With ten required off the final over, it was anybody's game, but Matsikenyeri's dismissal off the very first ball proved decisive and settled the game for Sri Lanka.

Hamilton Masakadza is the Man of the Match for his riveting 77. It almost proved match-winning.

Well that's all we have from here folks! Thanks for tuning in and lets hope the remaining games live up to the thrill and excitement of this one.

On behalf of everyone at Cricinfo, goodbye!

27.6
W
Muralidaran to Mupariwa, OUT, gone!! so near, yet so far! charges down the track but misses a straight ball, Sangakkara fumbles it the first time but recovers well to take down the stumps. It's referred to the third umpire and the batsman is short of his ground. Sri Lanka have won a thriller, by just five runs!

T Mupariwa st †Sangakkara b Muralidaran 0 (4m 3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

six needed off the last ball. Can he pull this one off?

27.5
1
Muralidaran to Williams, 1 run, tucked off the pads towards the leg side for a single
27.4
1lb
Muralidaran to Mupariwa, 1 leg bye, swing and miss, legbye taken towards short extra cover
27.3
1
Muralidaran to Williams, 1 run, reverse swept to backward point for a single
27.2
1lb
Muralidaran to Mupariwa, 1 leg bye, tries to sweep, gets a leg bye to short fine leg

Mupariwa, the new man

27.1
W
Muralidaran to Matsikenyeri, OUT, gone!! he was struck in line with middle stump, no doubts there, the umpire raises his finger and there is dead silence around the ground

S Matsikenyeri lbw b Muralidaran 19 (18m 10b 1x4 1x6) SR: 190.00

10 to win off the last over

Thushara was first given the ball but Jayawardene changed his mind. Murali to bowl the last over

END OF OVER:
27 | 11 Runs 1 Wkt | ZIM: 162/5 (10 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 6.00, RRR: 10.00)

  • Sean Williams0 (1b)
  • Stuart Matsikenyeri19 (9b)
  • Ajantha Mendis6-0-36-2
  • Nuwan Kulasekara6-0-35-1
26.6
0
Mendis to Williams, no run, tries to sweep Mendis off his first ball, misses, and Sangakkara collects well, no run

Sean Williams comes in

26.5
W
Mendis to Chibhabha, OUT, bowled im!! Chibhabha went for a big sweep, missed it completely, and the ball crashed into middle and off stump

CJ Chibhabha b Mendis 0 (5m 2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

26.4
0
Mendis to Chibhabha, no run, spun in, played down, no run
26.3
1
Mendis to Matsikenyeri, 1 run, played down the ground for a quick single
26.2
4
Mendis to Matsikenyeri, FOUR, short outside off, cut away for a boundary. Is this over now!!
26.1
6
Mendis to Matsikenyeri, SIX, good length on middle, slog-swept over deep mid wicket for a flat six

21 needed off 12. Matsinkenyeri the key man now. Kulasekara removed Taibu just at the right time. The gutsy wicketkeeper played superbly for his 31

END OF OVER:
26 | 7 Runs 1 Wkt | ZIM: 151/4 (21 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 5.80, RRR: 10.50)

  • Stuart Matsikenyeri8 (6b)
  • Nuwan Kulasekara6-0-35-1
  • Ajantha Mendis5-0-25-1
25.6
W
Kulasekara to Taibu, OUT, gone!! slower ball bowled full on middle, tries to swing it away towards mid wicket, misses, and the stumps take a beating

T Taibu b Kulasekara 31 (55m 38b 1x4 0x6) SR: 81.57

25.5
1
Kulasekara to Matsikenyeri, 1 run, full toss, played towards mid wicket for a single
25.4
2
Kulasekara to Matsikenyeri, 2 runs, driven down the ground, a misfield allows them two runs. Zimbabwe on the verge of pulling off a miracle here
25.3
1
Kulasekara to Taibu, 1 run, worked away off the back foot towards short fine leg for a single
25.2
0
Kulasekara to Taibu, no run, slower ball outside off, big swing, missed
25.1
3
Kulasekara to Matsikenyeri, 3 runs, shot! driven wide of deep extra cover on the front foot for three runs

28 needed off 18

Kulasekara to bowl

END OF OVER:
25 | 3 Runs 1 Wkt | ZIM: 144/3 (28 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 5.76, RRR: 9.33)

  • Stuart Matsikenyeri2 (3b)
  • Tatenda Taibu30 (35b)
  • Ajantha Mendis5-0-25-1
  • Nuwan Kulasekara5-0-28-0
24.6
1
Mendis to Matsikenyeri, 1 run,
24.5
1
Mendis to Taibu, 1 run,
24.4
0
Mendis to Taibu, no run,
24.3
1
Mendis to Matsikenyeri, 1 run, swept to mid wicket for a single

Sri Lanka tour of Zimbabwe 2008-09 News

Zimbabwe 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st76H MasakadzaV Sibanda
2nd58T TaibuH Masakadza
3rd7T TaibuE Chigumbura
4th10T TaibuS Matsikenyeri
5th11S MatsikenyeriCJ Chibhabha
6th0S MatsikenyeriSC Williams
7th4T MupariwaSC Williams