Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka in rain-affected tie

Craig Ervine hit a quickfire 55-ball 69 to help Zimbabwe pull off a four-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the rain-shortened fourth ODI and level the five-match series at 2-2 here on Saturday

Zimbabwe's Craig Ervine is ecstatic after beating Sri Lanka on Saturday. Pic/AFP

Craig Ervine hit a quickfire 55-ball 69 to help Zimbabwe pull off a four-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the rain-shortened fourth ODI and level the five-match series at 2-2 here on Saturday.

Chasing a Duckworth-Lewis revised target of 219 in 31 overs, Zimbabwe rode on Ervine's 55-ball unbeaten knock to win with 10 balls to spare at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium.

Earlier, openers Niroshan Dickwella (116) and Danushka Gunathilaka (87) put together 209 runs in Sri Lanka's 300-6 — becoming the first pair in ODI history to score back-to-back double century stands.

The left-handed batting duo had put on a 229-run match-winning stand in the previous ODI on Thursday at the same venue but their efforts went in vain the second time around.

Solomon Mire (43) and Hamilton Masakadza (28) set up the Zimbabwe chase before teenage leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, who took three wickets, got the openers trudging back to the pavilion.

Two
No. of consecutive 200-plus opening partnerships put up by SL's Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka, the most by any pair in ODIs

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