Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe: Dilshan Madushanka's sensational hat-trick gives Lankans thrilling seven-run win at Harare

It was heartbreak for Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on Friday (August 29) as they went down by seven runs in the first ODI to Sri Lanka in a thrilling finish. The result meant that Sri Lanka went 1-0 up in the three-match series. It was a roller-coaster game where both sides took turns to get ahead, only for the momentum to flip on each occasion. In the end, it were the Lankans who held their nerve when it mattered. With ten needed to win in the final over, Dilshan Madushanka picked up a hat-trick and conceded just two to give his side a famous win.

Put into bat on a cool morning, Sri Lanka had a tough start with the bat as they lost opener Nishan Madushka for a 13-ball duck. There was just a bit of help on offer for the new ball bowlers and Zimbabwe's new-ball quicks were accurate, conceding only 29 in the first ten overs. However, once the field spread out, Pathum Nissanka (76 off 92) stroked the ball better and with the pitch easing out a bit, strokeplay was relatively comfortable despite the uneven bounce on offer. The usually flamboyant Kusal Mendis had to dig in, consuming 63 balls for his innings of 38. The duo's partnership of 100 put the Lankans on track but both fell within a gap of about 25 minutes to give Zimbabwe respite. Nissanka looked set for a deserving hundred but fell against the run of play to a soft dismissal.

Sadeera Samarawickrama (35 off 40) tried to keep the scoreboard ticking and also found some rhythm in his innings. However, he too couldn't convert his start into a bigger score. When skipper Charith Asalanka perished cheaply, Sri Lanka were 161/5 in the 37th over. It seemed like they would probably not get more than 250 from there on, given the history of pitches in Zimbabwe. Janith Liyanage (70* off 47) and Kamindu Mendis (57 off 36), however, turned things in drastic fashion with a stunning counterattack. They added 137 for the sixth wicket off just 83 balls and ensured that the visitors plundered 113 off the final ten overs.

Zimbabwe were guilty of sloppy fielding and the bowling also lacked cricketing smarts at the death. Kamindu and Liyanage cashed in, to put up a strong total on the board. In reply, Zimbabwe also found the new ball tough to handle and lost two early wickets in the chase to find themselves at 0/2. Ben Curran (70 off 90) and skipper Sean Williams (57 off 54) then put on 118 for the third wicket to arrest the slide, and propelled the hosts in the chase. Just when they looked in total control, both perished within close proximity, before Sikandar Raza took over the reins. Like Nissanka, he too was unfortunate to miss out on a well-deserved hundred. But a lot happened before that.

Raza's 87-ball 92 and his partnership of 128 with Tony Munyonga (43* off 52) almost put Zimbabwe on the doorstep of victory. Both batters rotated strike well and chose their shot options well to take the game deep before starting their domination. The equation came down to 17 needed off 12 balls - a cakewalk in modern day cricket - but Asitha Fernando's superb penultimate over dragged the game into the 50th over with Zimbabwe still need 10 to win. However, with two set batters at the crease, it ws their game to lose. And lose, they did.

Raza fell off the first ball against Dilshan Madushanka who ended up conceding just two in the over, while picking up two more wickets to complete a sensational hat-trick. Munyanga was left stranded and couldn't do much in the end.

It was a roller-coaster game that had a thrilling finish.