Zimbabwe stunned Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka for the first time with a six-wicket win in the opener of a five-match one-day international series on Friday. Zimbabwe made 322/4 with 14 deliveries to spare in reply to Sri Lanka's formidable 316/5, in the biggest successful run chase in the country. (Live Scorecard)
Zimbabwe started their chase nervously losing two wickets for 46 runs by the 11th over. But Solomon Mire and Sean Williams shared 161 runs for the third wicket to lay the platform.
Mire hit his maiden ODI century, 112 from 96 deliveries. He hit 14 boundaries before he was caught and bowled by Asela Gunaratne. Williams made 65 off 69 balls. They were dismissed within two overs of each other, but Sikandar Raza and Malcolm Waller steered Zimbabwe to its first win over Sri Lanka in seven years.
Raza was unbeaten on 67 facing 56 deliveries. He hit the winning runs with the first six of the innings over long on off left-arm spinner Amila Aponso. With him, Waller was not out on 40 from 29.
Earlier, Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews won the toss and elected to bat first in the first limited-over international match in Galle in 17 years but lost a wicket early when opener Niroshan Dickwella gave his away on 10 to medium-pacer Tendai Chatara.
Kusal Mendis top-scored with 86, his fourth half-century in six knocks in the last two months. The top order rallied around him to give Sri Lanka a solid score.
Mendis and opener Danushka Gunathilaka added 117 runs for the second wicket.
Gunathilaka made 60 off 77 deliveries including five boundaries and a six. He mishit a reverse sweep and was caught at backward point off spinner Williams.
Mendis hit eight boundaries and a six in his 80-ball innings before being caught and bowled by captain Graeme Cremer.
Upul Tharanga anchored the rest of the innings with a 73-ball 79 not out which included eight boundaries and a six.
He combined for 74 with captain Mathews (43), and 56 with Gunaratne (28).
Chatara returned the best bowling figures of 2/49.
The second match is on Sunday.
