Zimbabwe’s first win in this Tri-nation series has come in the form of a thrilling 12-run win against Sri Lanka in Dhaka. Tendai Chatara was the chief architect of the vicotry, taking four wickets, including that of Thisara Perera who looked like he could run away with the game. It is Sri Lanka’s third successive defeat to Zimbabwe in ODIs, which could be seen as an indicator of their seemingly never-ending decline.

The 100th ODI at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium witnessed a sparkling Zimbabwe where unbeaten Sikandar Raza ( 81*) and Hamilton Masakadza (73) hammered half centuries to mount up a strong 290/6 against Sri Lanka in a match of the Tri-nation series on Wednesday.

Sent in to bat first, Zimbabwe played 50 overs for their collection, showing persistent from the beginning as their opening stand between Masakadza and Solomon Mire shared 13 overs for 75 runs, reports the UNB.

Masakadza continued up to 142/3 in 27.3 overs to share another partnership of 57 off 11 overs with Brendan Taylor in the 3rd wicket stand, which started after the dismissal off Craig Ervine on 85/2 in 16.3 overs.

Opener Masakadza featured 10 boundaries off 83 balls, before being caught by substitute fielder Danushka Gunathilaka off Asela Gunaratne.

After Masakadza, Taylor failed to stay long with Raza, who shared a partnership of 57 off 10.1 overs in the 5th wicket stand with Malcolm Waller to carry the team collection to 226/5 in 43.1 overs from 169/4 in 33 overs, on the way to his unbeaten innings of 67 balls to fire eight boundaries and one six.

Peter Moor gave a company of 6.3 overs to Raza for another partnership of 61 runs in the 6th wicket, which ended on 287/6 in 49.4 overs as Moor was caught by Akila Dananjaya off Asela Gunaratne.

Taylor scored 38 off 51 balls, including four boundaries, while opening batsman Mire (34 off 37b; 5x4), Waller (29 off 35b; 2x4; 1x6) and Moor (19 off 18b; 2x6) were the other double digit scorers for the side.

Riding on the pace strength, Sri Lanka got six wickets where Asela Gunaratne captured three for 37 in seven overs, Thisara Perera bagged two for 43 in 10 overs and Suranga Lakmal got one conceding the most runs 70 in 10 overs.