Daily Times

Colombo: Zimbabwe celebrated Tuesday after winning their first T20 international against Sri Lanka in dramatic fashion to square the three-match series in Colombo.

Chasing a target of 174, Zimbabwe required 20 runs off the last over bowled by Angelo Mathews, triumphing by four wickets.

Mathews, Sri Lanka’s hero with the bat with an unbeaten 66, was hit for three sixes in the final over as Zimbabwe knocked off the target with a ball to spare. Zimbabwe’s Luke Jongwe, who smashed 25 not out off 12 balls with two fours and two sixes, was named man of the match. “I am just lost for words… very pleased with what we did today”, said Jongwe.

He had also claimed two wickets with the ball, but it was his punchy big hitting in the nail-biting last over that helped Zimbabwe over the line. Jongwe knocked the first ball of the final over for six over long-on — and Mathews had overstepped as well, so the equation came down to 13 off six balls.

Next, Jongwe managed a boundary off the free hit, before hitting a six off the next delivery — making it three runs required off four balls. Mathews managed a dot ball next. Then, to make matters worse, Jongwe was dropped off the next delivery and the batters completed a single.