• Sri Lanka defeated Zimbabwe in the third and final ODI by 8 wickets.

  • Wanindu Hasaranga was named Player of the Match for his splendid bowling performance.

Twitter reactions: Wanindu Hasaranga’s unreal 7-fer helps Sri Lanka thrash Zimbabwe in 3rd ODI to clinch series
Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe in the 3rd ODI (Image Source: Twitter)

In the third ODI of the Zimbabwe tour of Sri Lanka 2024, held at R.Premadasa Stadium, Sri Lanka completely dominated the proceedings and handed Zimbabwe a convincing defeat by 8 wickets.

Wanindu Hasaranga dominates with splendid bowling

Zimbabwe, batting first, struggled against the Sri Lankan bowlers and were bundled out for 96 in 22.5 overs in a contest that was reduced to 27 overs per side due to rain. Notable contributions came from Joylord Gumbie (29 runs) and Luke Jongwe (14 runs), but Wanindu Hasaranga stole the show with a remarkable bowling performance.

Hasaranga scripted history with his unbelievable bowling exhibition. The leg-spinner claimed an astounding 7 wickets for just 19 runs in his 5.5 overs, putting Zimbabwe on the back foot. Hasaranga’s figures were the fifth best in the entire history of ODI cricket and second for Sri Lanka after the legendary Chaminda Vaas, who claimed 8/19 against the same opposition back in 2001.

Kusal Mendis sizzles in easy run chase

Chasing a modest target, Sri Lanka achieved victory with ease, reaching 97/2 in 16.4 overs. Kusal Mendis played a pivotal role with a brilliant knock of 66 runs off 51 balls. The Zimbabwean bowlers struggled to make an impact, with Richard Ngarava and Wellington Masakadza being the only wicket-takers for Zimbabwe.

Sri Lanka secured an 8-wicket win using the D/L method, and Hasaranga was rightfully awarded the Player of the Match for his exceptional bowling performance. Notably, the first ODI was abandoned due to rain, while Sri Lanka won the second ODI by 2 wickets. With this convincing win in the third ODI, Sri Lanka sealed the series with a 2-0 lead.

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Here is how Twitter reacted:

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