An unbeaten 73 from Kamil Mishara led Sri Lanka to an eight-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in Harare on Sunday to win their Twenty20 series 2-1.

Put in to bat after losing the toss, Zimbabwe made 191-8 but Sri Lanka cruised to the target with 14 balls to spare.

Mishara and Kusal Perera put on 117 runs in an unbeaten third-wicket stand as Sri Lanka completed a white-ball double, having won the preceding one-day international series against Zimbabwe 2-0.

Congratulations, Sri Lanka, and see you next time.#ZIMvSL #ExperienceZimbabwe pic.twitter.com/xqG5HpfD0S

— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) September 7, 2025

Having scored just 35 runs in four previous T20I innings, 24-year-old Mishara made his mark with a match-winning knock, hitting three sixes and six fours from the 43 balls he faced.

"It is a privilege to win a game for my country, I just feel very good," said Mishara.

"There was pressure, of course, but the coaching staff just told me to play my normal game. I just wanted to get into my rhythm and then played my normal game."

Mishara and veteran Perera came together with Sri Lanka 76-2 after 7.1 overs and took control as Sri Lanka put a nightmare 80 all out in the second match on Saturday behind them.

Perera scored as briskly as Mishara, with his unbeaten 46 coming off 26 deliveries. His innings included two sixes and four fours.

Wicketkeeper Tadiwanashe Marumani top scored for Zimbabwe with 51 off 44 balls before being stumped by Mendis off a googly from legspinner Dushan Hemantha.

Hemantha (3-38) also took the wickets of Sean Williams (23) and home captain Sikandar Raza (28).

Zimbabwe levelled a Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka in Harare with a five-wicket victory in a low scoring match on Saturday.

Sri Lanka were all out for 80 – their second lowest T20 total – and Zimbabwe made 84-5 in reply at Harare Sports Club to win with 34 balls remaining.

The tourists won the first match by five runs, and the series will be decided by the third and final match on Sunday.

We level the series. 🙌

Match Details 👉 https://t.co/fecBShznTo#ZIMvSL #ExperienceZimbabwe pic.twitter.com/T8lHcDbL8I

— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) September 6, 2025

"We have been playing good cricket and were upset with recent losses because we got close in the previous three games," said Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza.

"To our credit, we did not panic despite the disappointments. Hopefully this victory will give us belief."

Rival skipper Charith Asalanka said: "We lost too many wickets in the powerplay. When I went to bat I thought it was a 130 to 140-run pitch."

Kamil Mishara top scored for Sri Lanka with a run-a-ball 20 before misjudging a yorker from Brad Evans, which uprooted his off-stump.

Asalanka (18) and Dasun Shanaka (15) were the only other Sri Lankan batters to reach double figures.

Raza (3-11) and Evans (3-15) inflicted the most damage with the ball for the home side.

Player of the Match: Captain @SRazaB24🫡

Bowling figures of 3/11 and 2 catches#ZIMvSL #ExperienceZimbabwe pic.twitter.com/MkF22XGXJE

— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) September 6, 2025

Zimbabwe also struggled with the bat, slumping to 27-3 before Brian Bennett (19) and Ryan Burl (20 not out) put on 26 runs for the fourth wicket to bring the hosts within sight of victory.

Tashinga Musekiwa (21 not out) won the match by striking fours off the first and second deliveries of the 14th over.

Dushmantha Chameera (3-19) was the most successful of the tourists' bowlers.

Pathum Nissanka top scored with a swift 55 as Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by four wickets in Harare on Wednesday in the first of three Twenty20 internationals.

Zimbabwe posted 175-7 in 20 overs, thanks mainly to 81 runs from opener Brian Bennett, and Sri Lanka reached 177-6 with five balls to spare.

We held our nerve and secured a thrilling victory! Sri Lanka wins the first T20I against Zimbabwe by 4 wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the series! #ZIMvSL #SriLankaCricket #LionsRoar pic.twitter.com/WAUCWUSuGw

— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) September 3, 2025

The teams meet again on Saturday and Sunday.

After 27-year-old right-hand bat Nissanka played a pivotal role with a half century and a century in a 2-0 one-day international series victory, he proved equally successful in the shorter format.

His 15th T20 half century came off 32 balls and included four fours and two sixes before a top edge off the bowling of Tinotenda Maposa was caught by wicketkeeper Tadiwanashe Marumani.

Our Mr. Consistent, Pathum Nissanka, keeps delivering no matter the format! 🤩 Another fantastic performance from him today! #ZIMvSL #PathumNissanka #srilankaCricket pic.twitter.com/gzOjmDgfko

— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) September 3, 2025

His exit triggered a mini-collapse as four Sri Lankan wickets fell in 19 balls with the tourists adding just 10 runs to reach 106-4.

But an unbeaten 41 from Kamindu Mendis off 16 balls, including four sixes, steadied the tourists' innings. His main support came from Dushan Hemantha (14 not out).

Man of the Match, Kamindu Mendis! 🎉
An incredible match-winning knock of 41 not out from just 16 balls. What a sensational performance to get us over the line!#ZIMvSL #KaminduMendis #LionsRoar pic.twitter.com/y3xfjl0W3q

— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) September 3, 2025

Quick Richard Ngarava, with 2-19 in four overs, was the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers at Harare Sports Club.

Bennett fell 10 runs short of his best T20 score as he notched a fifth T20 half century.

Fifth T20I fifty for Brian Bennett 👏

📝: https://t.co/hkdQQpwMMv#ZIMvSL #ExperienceZimbabwe pic.twitter.com/GP8V1tuyU8

— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) September 3, 2025

Attempting a scoop shot, Bennett was the victim of a yorker from quick Dushmantha Chameera (3-30) that uprooted the middle stump.

The only other Zimbabwe batter to pass the 20-run mark was captain Sikandar Raza, who made 28 before being caught by Nissanka at deep midwicket off the bowling of Hemantha.

A Pathum Nissanka century set up Sri Lanka for a five-wicket one-day international win over Zimbabwe in Harare on Sunday with three balls to spare, and a 2-0 series victory.

 

The 27-year-old right-hand opener claimed his seventh ODI ton by making 122 off 136 balls. His knock including 16 fours.

He put on 90 runs for the fourth wicket with captain Charith Asalanka (71), taking the tourists to 236-4 with 33 balls remaining.

Replying to a Zimbabwe total of 277-7 off 50 overs, Sri Lanka reached 278-5 to seal a second straight ODI series victory after a 2-1 win over Bangladesh.

The Nissanka ton, coupled with his 76 runs in a thrilling seven-run first ODI win on Friday, earned him the player of the series award.

"It has been a little while since I have been among the runs in one-day internationals, so I am glad I was able to score some here," said Nissanka.

"I wanted to do well for the team and I trusted myself. It was tougher to bat during the powerplay and the Zimbabwe bowlers performed well."

Asalanka hailed Nissanka: "I wanted to see a big hundred and Pathum supplied that. Both teams fought hard. I just told the team to do the basics well.

"Young players are doing a good job for the team. I asked the batters to play with less risk and to run hard. They did."

Zimbabwe captain Sean Williams (20) had regrets: "The series could have gone differently. It could have been 1-1.

"Today we missed an opportunity to be more aggressive when batting in the middle overs. The small chances make a bit difference at the end of the day."

Nissanka, who fully exploited some poor Zimbabwe field placings, departed when his pull shot past deep mid-wicket was caught by substitute Wessly Madhevere.

Asalanka carried on until the fifth ball of the penultimate over when he skied a delivery and Brian Bennett raced from the ropes to make the catch.

Quick Richard Ngarava (2-53) and seamer Brad Evans (2-54) did best among the Zimbabwe bowlers.

Earlier, Ben Curran (79) and Sikandar Raza (59 not out) played pivotal roles in the Zimbabwe innings after they were put in to bat by Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka quick Dushmantha Chameera (3-52) was the pick of the visiting bowlers, capturing the wickets of Bennett (21), Tony Munyonga (10) and Evans (8).

Dilshan Madushanka took a last-over hat-trick to snatch Sri Lanka a thrilling seven-run victory over Zimbabwe in Harare on Friday in the first of two one-day internationals.

 

Zimbabwe were well set with Sikandar Raza, on 92, on strike, as they needed 10 runs off the final six balls with five wickets in hand.

But left-arm seamer Madushanka emerged as the hero for Sri Lanka, bowling Raza off the first ball of the final over, then dismissing Brad Evans and Richard Ngarava from his next two deliveries.

Raza had his middle stump uprooted attempting a sweep, Evans was caught at short fine leg by Asitha Fernando and Ngarava was also clean bowled.

DILSHAN MADUSHANKA TOOK A HAT-TRICK IN THE FINAL OVER 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5g0p8JjJ96

— DK Rajpurohit 🇮🇳 (@DeviSin61134860) August 29, 2025

"I am just so happy to do this on my comeback. Very happy that we executed our collective plans at the death," said Madushanka, who held his nerve with the last three balls to close out the win.

Zimbabwe won the toss and Sri Lanka posted 298-6 batting first courtesy of a late barrage of boundaries.

The second ODI is on Sunday at the same venue.

Sri Lanka recovered from losing opener Nishan Madushka for a duck as Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis (38) put on 100 runs for the second wicket.

Nissanka top scored with 76 and, further down the order, Janith Liyanage struck an unbeaten 70 off just 47 balls.

Kamindu Mendis also provided some late-order impetus with a 36-ball 57 before being bowled by Ngarava from the final ball of the innings.

Left-arm quick Ngarava (2-34) was the lone Zimbabwe bowler to take more than one wicket at Harare Sports Club.

CURRAN, WILIAMS RALLY ZIM

The home team's reply began disastrously with Brian Bennett and Brendan Taylor both falling to Fernando in the first over, leaving Zimbabwe 0-2 after just four balls.

Taylor was making his first ODI appearance since 2021 after bans for breaching anti-corruption rules and for failing a drugs test.

But half-centuries from Ben Curran (70) and Sean Williams (57) dragged Zimbabwe back into contention before they slipped to 161-5.

But Raza combined with Tony Munyonga in a brilliant 128-run stand to take the Africans to the brink of victory.

Raza's 92 came off 87 balls and included eight fours.

When he was dismissed by Madushanka, Munyonga was left stranded at the non-striker's end until the penultimate ball and finished 43 not out.

Sri Lanka are touring Zimbabwe for the first time since 2008.

Sri Lanka's cricket board named a 16-member squad led by Charith Asalanka on Thursday for a two-match series of one-day internationals against Zimbabwe in Harare.

The series begins on 29 August, with the second match scheduled two days later, Sri Lanka Cricket said.

The ODIs will be followed by three T20 internationals, the squad for which is yet to be announced.

All five matches will be played in Harare.

Sri Lanka last toured Zimbabwe for a limited-overs series in November 2008.

After Zimbabwe, the Sri Lankan team will take part in the Asia Cup T20 cricket tournament hosted by the United Arab Emirates from 9 September.

SRI LANKA SQUAD:

Charith Asalanka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Nuwanidu Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Milan Rathnayake, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka.