Zimbabwean cricket team in Sri Lanka in 2023–24

Zimbabwean cricket team in Sri Lanka in 2023–24
	Sri Lanka	Zimbabwe
Dates	6 – 18 January 2024
Captains	Kusal Mendis (ODIs) Wanindu Hasaranga (T20Is)	Craig Ervine (ODIs) Sikandar Raza (T20Is)
One Day International series
Results	Sri Lanka won the 3-match series 2–0
Most runs	Kusal Mendis (129)	Craig Ervine (82)
Most wickets	Wanindu Hasaranga (7)	Richard Ngarava (8)
Player of the series	Janith Liyanage (SL)
Twenty20 International series
Results	Sri Lanka won the 3-match series 2–1
Most runs	Angelo Mathews (112)	Sikandar Raza (80)
Most wickets	Wanindu Hasaranga (7)	Blessing Muzarabani (4)
Player of the series	Angelo Mathews (SL)

The Zimbabwe cricket team toured Sri Lanka in January 2024 to play three One Day International (ODI) and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches.^[1][2] The T20I series was part of Sri Lanka's preparation for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup tournament.^[3][4]

The matches had initially been pencilled in to take place in Dambulla and Kandy,^[5] however with the Under-19 World Cup was shifted to South Africa, the matches shifted to Colombo.^[6]

Squads

Sri Lanka		Zimbabwe
ODIs[7]	T20Is[8]	ODIs[9]	T20Is[10]
Kusal Mendis (c) Charith Asalanka (vc) Sahan Arachchige Dushmantha Chameera Akila Dananjaya Shevon Daniel Avishka Fernando Nuwanidu Fernando Wanindu Hasaranga Janith Liyanage Pramod Madushan Dilshan Madushanka Pathum Nissanka Sadeera Samarawickrama Dasun Shanaka Maheesh Theekshana Jeffrey Vandersay Dunith Wellalage	Wanindu Hasaranga (c) Charith Asalanka (vc) Dushmantha Chameera Akila Dananjaya Dilshan Madushanka Angelo Mathews Kamindu Mendis Kusal Mendis Pathum Nissanka Matheesha Pathirana Kusal Perera Sadeera Samarawickrama Dasun Shanaka Dhananjaya de Silva Maheesh Theekshana Nuwan Thushara	Craig Ervine (c) Faraz Akram Ryan Burl Joylord Gumbie Luke Jongwe Takudzwanashe Kaitano Tinashe Kamunhukamwe Clive Madande Wellington Masakadza Tapiwa Mufudza Tony Munyonga Blessing Muzarabani Richard Ngarava Sikandar Raza Milton Shumba	Sikandar Raza (c) Brian Bennett Ryan Burl Craig Ervine Joylord Gumbie Luke Jongwe Tinashe Kamunhukamwe Clive Madande Wellington Masakadza Carl Mumba Tony Munyonga Blessing Muzarabani Ainsley Ndlovu Richard Ngarava Milton Shumba

On 30 December 2023, Sri Lanka Cricket announced the preliminary squads.^[11] Kusal Mendis and Wanindu Hasaranga named captain for ODI and T20I series respectively,^[12] while Charith Asalanka was named vice-captain for both series.^[13] On 5 January 2024, Pathum Nissanka was ruled out of ODI series due to suspected dengue and replaced by Shevon Daniel in Sri Lanka's ODI squad.^[14]

ODI series

1st ODI

6 January 2024 14:30 (D/N) Scorecard

Sri Lanka  273/9 (50 overs)	v	Zimbabwe 12/2 (4 overs)
Charith Asalanka 101 (95) Richard Ngarava 2/39 (6.4 overs)		Milton Shumba 2* (3) Dilshan Madushanka 2/0 (2 overs)

No result R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Umpires: Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SL) and Alex Wharf (Eng)

• Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat.
• Rain during Zimbabwe's innings prevented any further play.
• Faraz Akram, Tapiwa Mufudza (Zim) and Janith Liyanage (SL) all made their ODI debuts.
• Richard Ngarava (Zim) took his 50th wicket in ODIs.^[15]

2nd ODI

8 January 2024 14:30 (D/N) Scorecard

Zimbabwe  208 (44.4 overs)	v	Sri Lanka 211/8 (49 overs)
Craig Ervine 82 (102) Maheesh Theekshana 4/31 (9.4 overs)		Janith Liyanage 95 (127) Richard Ngarava 5/32 (10 overs)

Sri Lanka won by 2 wickets R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Umpires: Marais Erasmus (SA) and Raveendra Wimalasiri (SL) Player of the match: Janith Liyanage (SL)

• Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat.
• Richard Ngarava (Zim) took his first five-wicket haul in ODIs.^[16]

3rd ODI

11 January 2024 14:30 (D/N) Scorecard

Zimbabwe  96 (22.5 overs)	v	Sri Lanka 97/2 (16.4 overs)
Joylord Gumbie 29 (34) Wanindu Hasaranga 7/19 (5.5 overs)		Kusal Mendis 66 (51) Wellington Masakadza 1/13 (2.1 overs)

Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets (DLS method) R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Umpires: Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SL) and Alex Wharf (Eng) Player of the match: Wanindu Hasaranga (SL)

• Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat.
• Sri Lanka were set a revised target of 97 runs in 27 overs due to rain.
• Shevon Daniel (SL) made his ODI debut.

T20I series

1st T20I

14 January 2024 19:00 (N) Scorecard

Zimbabwe  143/5 (20 overs)	v	Sri Lanka 144/7 (20 overs)
Sikandar Raza 62 (42) Maheesh Theekshana 2/16 (4 overs)		Angelo Mathews 46 (38) Sikandar Raza 3/13 (4 overs)

Sri Lanka won by 3 wickets R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Umpires: Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SL) and Raveendra Wimalasiri (SL) Player of the match: Angelo Mathews (SL)

• Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field.
• Wanindu Hasaranga captained Sri Lanka for the first time in T20Is.^[17][18]
• Sikandar Raza (Zim) became the first male cricketer to score half-centuries in five consecutive T20I innings.^[19]

2nd T20I

16 January 2024 19:00 (N) Scorecard

Sri Lanka  173/6 (20 overs)	v	Zimbabwe 178/6 (19.5 overs)
Charith Asalanka 69 (39) Luke Jongwe 2/32 (2 overs)		Craig Ervine 70 (54) Maheesh Theekshana 2/25 (4 overs)

Zimbabwe won by 4 wickets R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Umpires: Prageeth Rambukwella (SL) and Raveendra Wimalasiri (SL) Player of the match: Luke Jongwe (Zim)

• Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to field.
• This was the first win for Zimbabwe against Sri Lanka in T20Is.^[20]

3rd T20I

18 January 2024 19:00 (N) Scorecard

Zimbabwe  82 (14.1 overs)	v	Sri Lanka 88/1 (10.5 overs)
Brian Bennett 29 (12) Wanindu Hasaranga 4/15 (4 overs)		Pathum Nissanka 39* (23) Sean Williams 1/13 (2 overs)

Sri lanka won by 9 wickets R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Umpires: Lyndon Hannibal (SL) and Prageeth Rambukwella (SL) Player of the match: Wanindu Hasaranga (SL)

• Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field.

Statistics

Most runs (ODI)

Rank	Runs	Player	Innings	Average	High Score	100	50
1	129	Kusal Mendis	3	64.50	66*	0	1
2	119	Janith Liyanage	2	59.40	95	0	1
3	101	Charith Asalanka	2	50.50	101	1	0
4	82	Craig Ervine	3	27.33	82	0	1
5	59	Joylord Gumbie	2	29.50	30	0	0
Last Updated: 19 January 2024[21]

Most wickets (ODI)

Rank	Wickets	Player	Innings	Best	Average	Economy	5W
1	8	Richard Ngarava	3	5/32	11.37	4.62	1
2	7	Wanindu Hasaranga	1	7/19	2.71	5.00	1
3	5	Maheesh Theekshana	2	4/31	9.20	17.60	0
4	4	Dilshan Madushanka	3	2/0	13.75	3.92	0
5	3	Sikandar Raza	3	2/32	28.33	3.69	0
Last Updated: 19 January 2024[22]

Most runs (T20I)

Rank	Runs	Player	Innings	Average	High Score	Strike Rate	50
1	112	Angelo Mathews	2	112.00	66*	125.84	1
2	85	Charith Asalanka	2	42.50	69	139.34	1
3	80	Craig Ervine	3	26.66	70	112.67	1
		Sikandar Raza	3	26.66	62	135.59	1
4	64	Brian Bennett	3	32.00	29	160.00	0
5	54	Kusal Mendis	3	18.00	33	114.89	0
Last Updated: 19 January 2024[23]

Most wickets (T20I)

Rank	Wickets	Player	Innings	Best	Average	Economy	4W
1	7	Wanindu Hasaranga	3	4/15	10.71	6.25	1
2	6	Maheesh Theekshana	3	2/14	9.16	4.92	0
3	4	Blessing Muzarabani	3	2/33	21.25	8.50	0
4	3	Sikandar Raza	3	3/13	21.00	5.81	0
		Dushmantha Chameera	3	2/30	27.00	8.10	0
Last Updated: 19 January 2024[24]

References

1. "Zimbabwe to tour Sri Lanka for white-ball series in January 2024". The Papare. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
2. "Men's 2024 future tours program of Sri Lanka Cricket". Sri Lanka Cricket. 29 November 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
3. "Sri Lanka to gear up for T20 World Cup 2024 with home series against Zimbabwe". India Today. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
4. "Angelo Mathews back in T20I squad after three-year absence". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
5. "Sri Lanka to begin T20 World Cup prep at home against Zimbabwe". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
6. "Zimbabwe Tour of Sri Lanka 2024". Sri Lanka Cricket. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
7. "Sri Lanka name ODI squad for Zimbabwe series". International Cricket Council. 3 January 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
8. "Sri Lanka T20I squad for Zimbabwe series". Sri Lanka Cricket. 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
9. "Ervine returns as Zimbabwe name squads for white-ball tour of Sri Lanka". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
10. "Ervine returns to Zimbabwe squads for the tour of Sri Lanka; Williams out injured". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
11. "Kusal Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga named captains as Sri Lanka announce preliminary squads for Zimbabwe series". India TV News. 30 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
12. "Star all-rounder to lead in T20Is as Sri Lanka name preliminary squads for Zimbabwe series". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
13. "Sri Lanka name Wanindu Hasaranga as T20I skipper before Zimbabwe series, Kusal Mendis to lead in ODIs". India Today. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
14. "Pathum Nissanka ruled out of Zimbabwe ODIs with suspected dengue". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
15. "Ngarava fine for Sri Lanka ODI". The Chronicle. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
16. "Sri Lanka edge Chevrons in thriller . . . Ngarava's best bowling unrewarded". The Herald. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
17. "Wanindu Hasaranga To Be Appointed As Sri Lanka T20I Captain, Claims Report". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
18. "Sri Lanka need fielding lift for T20 World Cup: Wanindu Hasaranga". Times of India. 13 January 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
19. "Sikandar Raza sets world record with fifth consecutive T20I fifty". Wisden. 15 January 2024. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
20. "Zimbabwe record first T20 win over Sri Lanka". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
21. "Today's Cricket Match | Cricket Update | Cricket News". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
22. "Today's Cricket Match | Cricket Update | Cricket News". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
23. "Today's Cricket Match | Cricket Update | Cricket News". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
24. "Today's Cricket Match | Cricket Update | Cricket News". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 19 January 2024.

External links

• Series home at ESPNcricinfo