Pathum Nissanka's historic 98 keep Sri Lanka alive in tri-series with win vs Zimbabwe

Pathum Nissanka produced a masterful unbeaten 98 off 58 balls as Sri Lanka crushed Zimbabwe by nine wickets in Rawalpindi, keeping their hopes alive in the Pakistan T20I Tri-Series. In the process, the opener also scripted history, surpassing Kusal Perera to become Sri Lanka’s all-time leading run-scorer in T20Is — a landmark that highlighted the significance of his innings on a crucial night for his team.Chasing 147, Sri Lanka were driven almost entirely by Nissanka’s brilliance. Confident from ball one, he peppered the boundary with 11 fours and four sixes, finishing with a blazing strike rate of 168.96. With nine runs required for victory, he launched Richard Ngarava for a four and a six off consecutive balls, but those hits still left him agonisingly short of a second T20I hundred.Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, T20I tri-series, Match 5 HighlightsSri Lanka’s chase remained smooth despite an early stumble. Kamil Mishara made 12 before falling at 59 for one, but Kusal Mendis (25* off 25) ensured stability as he joined Nissanka in an unbroken 89-run partnership that wrapped up the match with 22 deliveries to spare. Zimbabwe’s bowlers struggled to apply any sustained pressure, barring a disciplined four-over spell from Sikandar Raza that cost just 17 runs..preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}Earlier, Zimbabwe posted a competitive 146 for five, anchored by contributions from Brian Bennett (34), Raza (37), and Ryan Burl (37*). But Sri Lanka’s spinners, Maheesh Theekshana (223) and Wanindu Hasaranga (223), choked the innings at key moments, preventing Zimbabwe from accelerating in the middle overs.The victory injects fresh intrigue into the tri-series. With Pakistan already assured of a place in the final, Sri Lanka’s clash against them on November 27 will now decide who joins the hosts in the title match — with Zimbabwe’s fate hanging on that outcome.Brief scoresZimbabwe: 1465 in 20 overs. Brian Bennett (34), Sikandar Raza (37), Ryan Burl (37*); Maheesh Theekshana (223), Wanindu Hasaranga (223)Sri Lanka: 1481 in 16.2 overs. Pathum Nissanka (98*), Kusal Mendis (25*); Brad Evans (136)Result: Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by 9 wickets- EndsPublished By: sabyasachi chowdhuryPublished On: Nov 25, 2025Also Read | India vs Australia in Ahmedabad: Surya picks T20 World Cup finalists, sledges RohitMust Watch