Madushanka's Hat-Trick Seals Sri Lanka's Thrilling Seven-Run Victory

(Harare-Zimbabwe) In a nail-biting encounter, Sri Lanka secured a seven-run victory over Zimbabwe, thanks to a spectacular hat-trick by Dilshan Madushanka in the final over.

The match came down to the wire, with Zimbabwe needing just 10 runs from the last over and their star batsman, Sikandar Raza, at the crease on 92. However, Madushanka's pace proved too much, as he bowled Raza with a delivery that sent the middle stump flying. He followed up with two more quick wickets, dismissing Brad Evans and Richard Ngarava to complete his hat-trick and seal the win for Sri Lanka. Despite being expensive earlier, Madushanka's final over was the game-changer. He finished with figures of 4 for 62, while Asitha Fernando took 3 for 50.

The thrilling climax followed a remarkable chase led by Sikandar Raza and Tony Munyonga, who had rescued Zimbabwe from a precarious position of 138 runs needed from 120 balls with their 128-run partnership. Raza expertly manipulated the field, punishing the seamers for any mistakes in length, as the pitch became easier to bat on.

Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka's innings had been revitalized by a crucial 137-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Janith Liyanage and Kamindu Mendis. The pair came together with the score at 161 for 5 and took the attack to the bowlers. Liyanage finished unbeaten on 70 from 47 balls, while Kamindu scored 57 from 36 before being dismissed on the last ball of the innings.

The win was a testament to Sri Lanka's ability to bounce back, as they overcame sloppy fielding and a high over-rate that resulted in a penalty of an extra fielder in the circle for the last two overs. The match also saw good contributions from top-order batsmen, with Pathum Nissanka scoring a patient fifty for Sri Lanka, and Sean Williams and Ben Curran both hitting half-centuries in their 118-run partnership for Zimbabwe.