Sandakan, Hasaranga hand Sri Lanka complete authority

You feared this was coming, but at the heart of heart didn't want this to happen. Zimbabwe came into the second One-Day International on the back of a stupendous run chase in the series opener. But on Sunday (July 2), capitulated to some poor stroke-making to Sri Lanka's famed weapon of spin and to a magnificient debutant Wanidu Hasaranga, who scalped a hat-trick. As Zimbabwe folded up for 155 and that too inside 34 overs, it left the hosts with enough time to knock off some parts of the total as they went into the interval at 44 for 2 in 9 overs.

When Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl, it seemed to be for two reasons: one, to alter the pattern from their previous loss, and two, to test Zimbabwe in terms of setting a total. The decision stood vindicated almost immediately when Hamilton Masakadza felt for a Lasith Malinga delivery outside off and edged it to second slip, only for it to be dropped. The burly hitter then took on the Lankan bowlers, hitting Malinga for two consecutive boundaries, twice. The master of their chase in the first game, Solomon Mire, was taught the hard lesson of cricket being a leveller, as he was dismissed for a duck by Nuwan Pradeep.

Masakadza was put down on 36 off Lakshan Sandakan but his loss was Asela Gunaratne's gain as he showcased good reflexes by plucking a stellar catch of his own bowling a couple of overs later. Sandakan got his due soon as he got Craig Ervine on the cut for 22. Sikandar Raza, who sealed the chase with immense calm, was sent back after he hit two boundaries. A poor reverse sweep landed in the hands of the backward point fielder as Sandakan tightened the noose around the visitors.

The alarm bells went buzzing when Danuska Gunathilaka removed Sean Williams to leave Zimbabwe reeling on 102 for 5. Ryan Burl and Peter Moor were removed in no time by Sandakan as he went on to register his best bowling figures in ODI cricket of 4 for 52. With Zimbabwe 155 for 7, they were hit by Hasaranga whose hat-trick accounted for the wickets of Malcolm Waller, Donald Tiripano and Tendai Chatara in the 34th over. In the process, the 19-year-old legspinner became only the third bowler to pick up a hat-trick on ODI debut after Taijul Islam and Kagiso Rabada.

Chasing a meagre 156 to win, Sri Lanka lost Gunathilaka and Kusal Mendis in the third over when Tendai Chatara struck twice. However, the hosts recovered quickly from the early jolt, requiring 112 runs to square the series.

Brief Scores: Zimbabwe 155 in 33.4 overs (Hamilton Masakadza 41, Malcolm Waller 38; Lakshan Sandakan 4-52, Wanidu Hasaranga 3-15) vs Sri Lanka 44/2 in 9 overs (Niroshan Dickwella 20*, Upul Tharanga 13; Tendai Chatara 2-18).