(Cricket news) It was a captain’s day out in the 2nd ODI of Zimbabwe’s tour of Sri Lanka. Both the team captains led the team from the batting front but it was Zimbabwe's chance to take the reins this time to level the series. The decider will be held on 21st January as the first two matches have seen the batters prosper.

Zimbabwe won the toss again and chose to bat as they wanted to set things right for a win. The openers again had a 50 plus partnership but could not take it ahead as Jeffrey Vandersay again claimed the wickets of both opening batters. Captain Craig Ervine and Sean Williams kept the crease guarded for over 20 overs as the Lankan bowlers had a tough time navigating through the pitch. It was Vandersay once again who gave the breakthrough as he spun the ball and Williams wanted to just defend it but was stumped by Kusal Mendis.

Ervine missed out on a 4th hundred when he was bowled by Maheesh Theekshana and the team still needed 50 more runs to cross the 300 mark. Sikandar Raza took on the responsibility to score his 19th half century and was dismissed in the final ball of the innings by Nuwan Pradeep.

The men in blue had a bad start like the previous game as Tendai Chatara bowled Kusal Mendis in the 5th over of the innings and in the next over Pathum Nissanka too joined his opening partner at the bench. Kamindu Mendis scored his 1st half century in his 6th match as the runs finally started pouring but wickets were also falling down at the other end. Captain Dasun Shanaka’s maiden century couldn’t have come at a better time as he struck a high full toss by Chatara for a six but was dismissed on the very next ball. The team needed runs but his presence was more needed as he walked back with the team needing 56 runs from 33 balls.

Chamika Karunaratne was running between the wickets as he did not want to take risks losing the ball onto the boundary. The right hander was then run out in the final ball of the 47th over as the team now needed 38 of 18 balls. After Karunaratne’s departure the team could only score 16 runs in 3 overs as Zimbabwe kept the series alive with a powerful comeback.

Zimbabwe: 302/8 in 50 overs

Sri Lanka: 280/9 in 50 overs

Man of the match: Craig Ervine (91 off 98 balls, 10×4)

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