Cricket Prediction | Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe | 3rd T20I | Jan 18– Can SL win the three-match series after defeating visitors ZIM in this game?

SL vs ZIM Match Analysis

Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka play their last Twenty20 International of the series on Thursday night at R Premadasa Stadium with the series evenly balanced at one point apiece. Before Zimbabwe’s victory by 4 wickets with one ball left on Tuesday, Sri Lanka had won the first encounter by 3 wickets from the last ball of play. In Colombo, the game begins at 19:00 local time.

Sri Lanka cannot claim that the Tuesday loss was a major surprise, as Zimbabwe has defeated them in both of their other meetings on this tour. The hosts will need to score top-order runs on Thursday, and they should have enough talent to win the game and the series.

With their performance on Tuesday, captain Sikandar Raza was understandably thrilled with his team, and the Zimbabwean camp will be full of confidence that they can now go on and win the series. But if they want to win two T20I matches in succession, they will have to perform at their highest level.

SL vs ZIM Team Preview & Squads

Sri Lanka

We anticipate that Dilshan Madushanka, who returned to the team for Tuesday’s match instead of Nuwan Thushara, will start this match in the starting lineup after taking out the hard-hitting starter Tinashe Kamunhukamwe. There were no reported injuries before Thursday’s encounter.

With 112 runs scored in the first two games of this series, 36-year-old Angelo Matthews has had an incredible comeback to T20I cricket. In the game on Tuesday, left-hander Charith Asalanka dazzled by scoring the most runs for Sri Lanka with an incredible 69 runs off 39 balls.

In the second Twenty20 International, the 32-year-old Wanindu Hasaranga seemed more dangerous due to the faster surface, as he claimed the crucial wickets of Ryan Burl and Sikandar Raza. Throughout the series, spinner Maheesh Theekshana has claimed his wickets in short bursts. He took two in two overs on Tuesday after taking two in an over on Sunday.

Sri Lanka Squads

Sri Lanka Squads

Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Kusal Mendis (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Charith Asalanka, Dushmantha Chameera, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, and Dilshan Madushanka.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe stuck with the same lineup for the second Twenty20 International and won, reaping the benefits of having come so close to taking a 1-0 lead in the first Twenty20 International. There is a strong sense of teamwork, and we don’t anticipate any changes for this championship game. From the beginning of the innings, the 28-year-old right-handed opener will try to overwhelm the Sri Lankan bowling attack.

Craig Ervine, the ODI captain, played a superb innings on Tuesday, hitting six fours and two sixes, and Sri Lanka’s bowlers will be careful of pitching to him in this encounter. From the beginning of the innings, the 28-year-old right-handed opener Tinashe Kamunhukamwe will try to press the Sri Lankan bowling attack.

In the second T20I, Richard Ngarava, a left-arm opening bowler, was not able to claim a wicket until the last ball of his four overs. On this tour, he hasn’t yet lost a wicket, though. Despite being Zimbabwe’s most economical bowler on Tuesday, captain Sikandar Raza failed to claim a wicket. He has the potential to win this match with both the bat and the ball going into it.

Zimbabwe Squads

Zimbabwe Squads

Sikandar Raza (c), Clive Madande (wk), Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Sean Williams, Ryan Burl, Craig Ervine, Brian Bennett, Blessing Muzarabani, Luke Jongwe, Wellington Masakadza, and Richard Ngarava.

SL vs ZIM outfield report

R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

We anticipate that both captains will want to field first in this match because the team that fields first has won the first two matches of the series.

At this location, extremely humid weather is predicted for Thursday night. There’s a potential that a short-lived thunderstorm could disrupt the game due to cloud cover.

Given that the team that fields first has won the first two games of the series, we predict that both captains will desire to field first in this encounter.

SL vs ZIM Head-to-Head Stats of Last 5 Matches

In their last five encounters, Sri Lanka won four games and Zimbabwe won just one.

Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe Prediction

Winning the toss

• Sri Lanka

Player of the Match

• Sri Lanka – Angelo Mathews

Most runs

• Sri Lanka – Angelo Mathews
• Zimbabwe – Craig Ervine

Most wickets

• Sri Lanka – Maheesh Theekshana
• Zimbabwe – Sikandar Raza

Most sixes

• Sri Lanka – Angelo Mathews
• Zimbabwe – Craig Ervine

Team Scores Batting First

• Sri Lanka – 170+
• Zimbabwe – 160+

According to cricket analysts, Sri Lanka has a 64.5% chance to win.

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