Dinesh Chandimal and Charith Asalanka smashed half-centuries to guide Sri Lanka to a comfortable five-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the first one-day international yesterday.
Chasing 297 for victory, Sri Lanka rode on a 129-run stand between man-of-the-match Chandimal (75) and Asalanka (71) to achieve the target with nine balls to spare and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series in Kandy.
Opener Pathum Nissanka made 75 to set up the chase on a batting-friendly wicket. Sean Williams scored 100 in Zimbabwe’s 296 for nine in 50 overs.
“Our batsmen showed the class and maturity during the chase,” skipper Dasun Shanaka said after the win.
“Credit to Nissanka, Asalanka and Chandimal. We got lot of players on the bench as well. We would want to consider them in the upcoming games.”
Nissanka put on key partnerships including an opening stand of 40 with Kusal Mendis. Blessing Muzarabani sent back Kusal for 26 and Richard Ngarava bowled Kamindu Mendis to check Sri Lanka.
Nissanka, who combined with Chandimal for a 66-run stand, raised his maiden ODI fifty in 48 balls amid raucous applause from the home crowd.
He fell while attempting to hit a wide delivery and got caught behind off Sikandar Raza. But the right-left batting pair of Chandimal and Asalanka combined to take the attack to the opposition before losing their wickets.

SCOREBOARD
Zimbabwe
T. Kaitano lbw b Vandersay                   42
R. Chakabva c Kusal b Vandersay        72
C. Ervine b Kamindu                     9
S. Williams b Karunaratne                100
W. Madhevere b Karunaratne                   20
S. Raza lbw b Pradeep                   18
R. Burl c Shanaka b Pradeep                    4
W. Masakadza run out (Karunaratne)   6
B. Muzarabani b Karunaratne                  3
T. Chatara not out                                         1
R. Ngarava not out                                       10
Extras (lb2, w8, nb1)                                  11
Total (9 wickets, 50 overs)                   296
Fall of wickets: 1-80 (Kaitano), 2-110 (Ervine), 3-160 (Chakabva), 4-202 (Madhevere), 5-248 (Raza), 6-252 (Burl), 7-269 (Masakadza), 8-285 (Williams), 9-286 (Muzarabani)
Bowling: Pradeep 10-1-54-2 (nb1, w1), Gunasekara 1-0-8-0), Theekshana 10-0-40-0, Shanaka 4-0-34-0 (w2), Karunaratne 10-1-69-3 (w1), Vandersay 6-0-44-2 (w1), Kamindu 6-0-32-1 (w1), Asalanka 3-0-13-0
Sri Lanka
P. Nissanka c Chakabva b Raza               75
K Mendis c Chakabva b Muzarabani    26
Kamindu Mendis b Ngarava                     17
D. Chandimal c Ervine b Ngarava           75
C. Asalanka lbw b Ngarava                        71
D. Shanaka not out                         10
C. Karunaratne not out                                5
Extras (b4, lb2, w14, nb1)                      21
Total (5 wickets, 48.4 overs)                300
Fall of wickets: 1-40 (Kusal Mendis), 2-81 (Kamindu Mendis), 3-147 (Nissanka), 4-276 (Chandimal), 5-292 (Asalanka)
Bowling: Muzarabani 9.4-0-57-1 (nb1, w2), Chatara 9-0-56-0 (w2), Ngarava 9-0-56-3 (w8), Masakadza 6-0-29-0 (w2), Burl 1-0-12-0, Williams 8-0-43-0, Raza 4-0-23-1, Madhevere 2-0-17-0