Sri Lanka maintain unbeaten run to qualify for 2023 ODI World Cup in India with win against Zimbabwe

The 1996 winners have now become the first team from the ODI World Cup Qualifiers to seal a final spot in the ODI World Cup 2023 which is scheduled to be played in India. Contrary to what the two-time ODI World Cup champions West Indies experienced on Saturday night at the Harare Sports Club.

The fellow former champions Sri Lanka added to their outstanding and undefeated streak in the ongoing Qualifiers competition by thrashing the hosts’ Zimbabwe in the Super Six match in a decisive manner to secure their travel arrangements to India for the 2023 ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to start on October 5 and continue through November 1.

Following a successful toss decision earlier in the day, Dilshan Madushanka and Mahesh Theekshana controlled play at two different points to dismiss Zimbabwe for just 165 runs. After that, the home team had little to do and was subsequently totally shut down by an opening pair century stand before Pathum Nissanka led the assault all by himself with an unbeaten century to finish the chase in just 33.1 overs and secure a nine-wicket victory.

For Sri Lanka, Madushanka excelled with the new ball, supporting skipper Dasun Shanaka’s choice to bowl first. Before Zimbabwe’s fourth-wicket duo of Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza gave some resistance, he took three wickets in his opening spell. The former also reached his half-century on the way to their 68-run stand, but Shanaka made the breakthrough before Theekshana ran roughshod over the middle and lower order with his 4 for 25.

“Coming into Qualifiers is always tough. But still, if you go through the process, with the team we’ve got here, we know we’re going to qualify. Credit to other teams, some of the teams gave us some good fight in between but still, we are the better side,” Shanaka said in the post-match presentation.

The 1996 champions have officially qualified for the mega tournament in India as the first team from the ODI World Cup Qualifiers competition. Now, Zimbabwe’s future will depend on the outcome of their final Super Six match, which will take place against Scotland the following week.