Rawalpindi, 25 November 2025: Pathum Nissanka’s unbeaten 98 powered Sri Lanka to a commanding nine-wicket win as they chased down the 147-run target in 16.2 overs against Zimbabwe in the fifth match of the tri-nation T20I series here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday night.
Faced with the prospect of a must-win game, Sri Lanka made sure to outfox Zimbabwe before they face Pakistan in another must-win fixture on Thursday, 27 November at the same venue. Zimbabwe will qualify for the 29 November final if Sri Lanka lose against Pakistan.
Earlier, spin duo Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga kept Zimbabwe in check with similar figures of 2-23 in four overs each, restricting them to 146-5 in 20 overs. Skipper Dasun Shanaka also picked up one wicket.
Nissanka (2326) – who also overtook Kusal Perera (2305) as the leading run-scorer for Sri Lanka in T20Is - finished with with his second-highest T20I score (98 not out, 58b, 11x4s, 4x6s) besides the record-breaking 107 v India earlier in September. This is also the joint-fifth highest individual score for Sri Lanka in T20Is along with Mahela Jayawardene’s 98 not out v West Indies in 2010.
Following Kamil Mishara’s departure with 59 runs on the board, Nissanka and Kusal Mendis (25 not out, 25b, 1x4, 1x6) put together an unbeaten 89-run alliance off 64 balls to see their side home with 22 balls to spare. Nissanka sealed the game with a four and a six off Richard Ngarava to bag Sri Lanka’s first win in the series.
Winning the toss and batting earlier, Zimbabwe lost their first two wickets inside 2.5 overs to Maheesh Theekshana before Brian Bennett and Brendan Taylor (14, 16b, 2x4s) put on 36 runs for the third wicket.
Taylor departed in the eighth over with the scoreboard reading 53 for 3. Bennett was then joined by skipper Sikandar Raza, and the pair added 36 for the fourth wicket.
Bennett (34, 26b, 4x4s, 1x6) was dismissed in the 13th over by Wanindu Hasaranga, who soon struck again to remove Raza (37, 29b, 5x4, 1x6) in the 15th over.
Ryan Burl’s late flourish of 37 not out off 26 balls including five fours and one six lifted his side to 146-5 in 20 overs after he walked in to bat at 89-4 in the 13th over.
Scores in brief:
Tri-nation T20I series - Match 5 of 7: Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by nine wickets at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium
Zimbabwe 146-5, 20 overs (Ryan Burl 37 not out, Sikandar Raza 37, Brian Bennett 34; Maheesh Theekshana 2-23, Wanindu Hasaranga 2-23)
Sri Lanka 148-1, 16.2 overs (Pathum Nissanka 98 not out, Kusal Mendis 25 not out)
Player of the match – Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka)
Series schedule: (All matches at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium; All matches to begin at 6pm PKT)
18 November – First T20I – Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by five wickets
20 November – Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka by 67 runs
22 November – Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets
23 November – Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 69 runs
25 November – Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by nine wickets
27 November – Pakistan v Sri Lanka
29 November – Final
