I wanted to see a big hundred and Pathum supplied that, says SL skipper Asalanka

Harare, Sep 1 (IANS) Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka lauded opener Pathum Nissanka for delivering “the big hundred” that set up the island nation’s first overseas ODI series win in six years, as they defeated Zimbabwe by five wickets in the second and final one-day on Sunday.

“I wanted to see a big hundred and Pathum supplied that. Both teams fought hard. I just told the team to do the basics well,” Asalanka was quoted by ICC as saying.

Nissanka, who had been searching for runs in recent one-day internationals, rediscovered his touch with a commanding 122 off 136 balls, decorated with 16 fours. His seventh ODI century came on the back of a vital 76 in the opening game, making him the standout performer of the series.

“It has been a little while since I have been among the runs in one-day internationals, so I am glad I was able to score some here,” Nissanka reflected. “It was tougher to bat during the powerplay and the Zimbabwe bowlers performed well, but I trusted myself.”

Asalanka himself played a pivotal role in the chase, striking a fluent 71 from 61 deliveries to steady the innings after Nissanka’s departure. The skipper credited Sri Lanka’s younger players for their composure in pressure moments. “Young players are doing a good job for the team. I asked the batters to play with less risk and to run hard. They did,” he said.

For Zimbabwe, Sean Williams admitted his side had let slip key opportunities that could have changed the outcome. “The series could have gone differently. It could have been 1-1,” he said. “Today we missed an opportunity to be more aggressive in the middle overs. The small chances make a big difference at the end of the day.”

The 2-0 triumph marked Sri Lanka’s first away ODI series victory since beating Scotland in 2019, ending a long drought on foreign soil. The two teams will now turn their attention to the three-match T20I series beginning September 3 in Harare.

--IANS

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