Liyanage and Mendis Power Sri Lanka to Commanding Total in 1st ODI Against Zimbabwe

A blistering 137-run partnership off just 83 balls between Janith Liyanage and Kamindu Mendis transformed Sri Lanka’s innings and propelled them to a formidable 298 for 6 in the first ODI against Zimbabwe in Harare.

After being reduced to 161 for 5 in the 37th over, Sri Lanka looked to be in trouble on a surface that offered movement and bounce. Zimbabwe’s seamers Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani were excellent in the powerplay, and spinners Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams tightened the screws during the middle overs. But Liyanage and Mendis counterattacked with precision and power to swing the momentum in Sri Lanka’s favour.

Liyanage remained unbeaten on 70 from just 47 balls, while Mendis scored 57 off 36 deliveries. Their aggressive running between the wickets and clinical hitting, particularly in the death overs, gave Sri Lanka the finishing kick they desperately needed. The partnership accelerated rapidly, especially after Ngarava was forced off the field with discomfort in the 43rd over, forcing Zimbabwe’s stand-in captain Sean Williams to shuffle his bowling plans.

Although Ngarava returned to bowl the final over and claimed Mendis' wicket by uprooting his middle stump, the damage had already been done. He was Zimbabwe’s standout bowler with figures of 2 for 34 in 7.4 overs, despite the late onslaught. Trevor Gwandu struggled under pressure, conceding 23 runs in a single over and finishing with an economy of 9.63.

Earlier in the innings, opener Pathum Nissanka laid the foundation with a composed 76 off 92 balls. His steady hand was crucial during a phase when Zimbabwe's bowlers were in control and wickets were falling at regular intervals. Sri Lanka lost two key wickets in successive deliveries — Sadeera Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka — before the Mendis-Liyanage blitz turned the tide.

The contrast between the partnerships was stark. While the top order laboured to find fluency, Liyanage and Mendis punished even marginal errors from the bowlers. Liyanage was especially dominant square on the offside, while Mendis targeted the leg-side boundary with regularity. Their complementary styles and urgency between the wickets gave Sri Lanka much-needed momentum.

Liyanage’s knock featured several standout shots, including a stunning helicopter six off Ngarava in the final over. For Mendis, this was his third ODI fifty, while Liyanage registered his fifth — both underlining their growing importance in Sri Lanka’s white-ball setup.

With 298 on the board, Sri Lanka have set Zimbabwe a stiff target on a pitch that is not expected to ease up for chasing.