Zimbabwe secured a one-day international series win at a Test-playing nation for the first time since 2001 as they defeated Sri Lanka by three wickets in the deciding match in Hambantota.
Match scores (Hambantota)
Zimbabwe won by three wickets
Sri Lanka inns: 203-8 (50 overs: Gunaratne 59*, Gunathilaka 52; Butt 3-21, Cremer 2-23)
Zimbabwe inns: 204-7 (38.1 overs: Masakadza 73, Mire 43, Musakanda 37, Butt 27*; Perera 4-47)
Match report
Zimbabwe secured a one-day international series win at a Test-playing nation for the first time since 2001 as they defeated Sri Lanka by three wickets in the deciding match in Hambantota.
With the five-match series locked at 2-2, the Zimbabweans survived a dramatic collapse to complete a historic success by chasing down the Sri Lankans' 203 for eight with more than 11 overs to spare as opener Hamilton Masakadza made 73 to go beyond 5,000 one-day runs for his country.
The last time Zimbabwe defeated a Test-playing nation in a one-day series on foreign soil was when they beat Bangladesh 16 years ago, and this outcome speaks volumes of a Sri Lankan side struggling in a transitional period.
Their batting let them down as they were restricted to just over 200 having had double-century opening partnerships in each of the previous two ODIs, with Niroshan Dickwella following up back-to-back tons with just three to be one of six Sri Lankans dismissed for single figures.
Sikandar Raza's three for 21 in 10 overs set the tone and that was built on by a 92-run opening stand between Masakadza and Solomon Mire, and though Zimbabwe lost six wickets for 38 runs, they eventually got over the line thanks to Raza's unbeaten 27.
