Debutant Hasaranga hattrick as Sri Lanka down Zimbabwe
GALLE :Teenager Wanidu Hasaranga took a hat-trick on his international debut as Sri Lanka took revenge on Zimbabwe with a seven wicket drubbing in their second one day international on Sunday.
Fellow-spinner Lakshan Sandakan also took four wickets, to earn the man-of-the-match award, as Sri Lanka hit back at their critics with a confident performance in Galle.
Sri Lanka bowled out Zimbabwe for 155 and then reached 158-3 in 30.1 overs. Upul Tharanga ended unbeaten on 75.
The win relieved pressure on Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews after the squad was accused of being unfit by the country’s sports minister.
“I wouldn’t call it a clinical performance,” he said. “We still dropped catches.” But Mathews said Sri Lanka’s “attitude and intensity was superb. We just need to regroup, and it was great effort from the boys.”
The captain hailed Sandakan and Hasaranga, two of the three changes made after Zimbabwe tore apart the Sri Lanka bowlers in their six wicket win on Friday.
“Sandakan was brilliant, so was Wanidu. Credit should go to the selectors to pick him. I, honestly, haven’t seem him much,” Mathews said of the newcomer.
Nineteen-year-old allrounder Hasaranga bowled only 16 balls but tore through Zimbabwe’s
tail.
Brief Scores: Zimbabwe 155 all out 33.4 overs (H Mazakadza 41, M Waller 38, L Sandakan 4/52, W Hasaranga 3/15) lost Sri Lanka 158/3 30.1 overs (N Dickwella 35, U Tharanga 75 no, A Mathews 28 no, T Chatara 2/33).