Sangakkara Eases Sri Lanka To Huge Win

Sangakkara Eases Sri Lanka To Huge Win

Kumar Sangakkara guided Sri Lanka to a huge win.

©REUTERS/Athar Hussain (PAKISTAN) Picture Supplied by Action Images

Sangakkara Eases Sri Lanka To Huge Win

Hamilton Masakadza opened the innings for Zimbabwe.

©REUTERS/Mike Hutchings (SOUTH AFRICA). Picture Supplied by Action Images

Sri Lanka 130-4 (Sangakkara 46no, Udawatte 38) beat
Zimbabwe 127 (Taibu 36no, Muralitharan 4-14, Mendis 3-26) by six wickets
Scorecard
1st One Day International, Harare

Zimbabwe lost seven wickets for three runs before crashing to a six-wicket defeat in the first One Day International against Sri Lanka in Harare.

Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis shared seven wickets to bowl Zimbabwe out for 124 in 31 overs after inserting their hosts before an unbeaten 46 from Kumar Sangakkara guided his side home in the 34th over.

Tatenda Taibu was unbeaten on 36, stranded as the spin duo ripped through Zimbabwe's lower order with the last six batsmen failing to score as Zimbabwe lost seven wickets for three runs.

They had made a solid, if steady start with Hamilton Masakadza (15), Vusi Sibanda (nine) and Justice Chibhabha (25) all making starts.

Masakadza was run out by Tharanga, Sibanda was caught by Chamara Kapugedera off of Nuwan Kulasekera and Chibhabha was caught by Kulasekera off of Farveez Maharoof.

Taibu and Stuart Matsikenyeri (21) combined to take the score to 124 before the home side lost seven wickets for just three runs as Muralitharan (4-14) and Mendis (3-26) ran riot.

Matsikenyeri was bowled by Muralitharan, who then added the wickets of Elton Chigumbura, Timycen Maruma and Tawanda Mupariwa without scoring before Mendis removed Prosper Utseya, Ray Price and Christopher Mpofu, all three men failing to score.

Sri Lanka lost Upul Tharanga, who was run out by Mpofu without a run on the board before Mahela Udawatte (38) and Sangakkara put on 58 for the second wicket.

Udawatte was caught by Matsikenyeri off of Chigumbura and although Ray Price struck twice to get rid of Mahela Jayawardene for 15 and Kapugedera for 16, the result was never in doubt, Jehan Mubarak unbeaten without scoring when Sangakkara secured a most resounding victory.

© Cricket World 2008