Bennett, Raza, and Evans are key players in Zimbabwe's victory over Sri Lanka.

Evans' three-for resulted in Sri Lanka being bowled out for 95, while Bennett and Raza contributed 61 off 44.
Zimbabwe defeated Sri Lanka 95 (Shanaka 34, Evans 3-9, Ngarava 2-15) by 67 runs at 162 for 8 (Bennett 49, Raza 47, Hasaranga 3-32).


In the second game of the men's T20I tri-series in Rawalpindi, Sri Lanka lost by 67 runs after their batting collapsed against a disciplined Zimbabwean attack. They chased a score of 163 before being knocked out for 95. It was the ideal reaction for Zimbabwe following their first-game loss to Pakistan.

Each of Zimbabwe's six bowlers shared the wickets. Brad Evans, who finished with match-best statistics of 3 for 9, outperformed Richard Ngarava, who was outstanding with figures of 2 for 15.

With a backs-to-the-wall 34 off 25, only Sri Lanka's stand-in captain Dasun Shanaka produced an innings of any promise. Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who scored a painful 11 off 18 in his first Twenty20 International since January, was the only other player to score in double figures.
After being selected at the toss, Zimbabwe, led by Sikandar Raza (47) and Brian Bennett (49), had a much better time with the bat. They hobbled to the finish, so it wasn't a perfect innings, but in the end, it was more than enough. Eshan Malinga, a rookie, too made an impression with 2 for 27, while Wanindu Hasaranga achieved innings-best numbers with 3 for 32.

Raza and Bennett set the tone.


Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani put on a 26-run opening partnership in just over three overs, giving Zimbabwe a quick start within the powerplay as he has been doing more and more lately.
However, Sri Lanka retaliated through Malinga and Maheesh Theekshana, sharing the first half with Zimbabwe at 46 for 2 after six overs.

Raza, however, moved up the order, probably in reaction to how their innings had collapsed against Pakistan two nights prior, and he and Bennett set out to produce a 61-run partnership off just 44 deliveries.


As Zimbabwe's 100 came up inside the 14th over, the two had established a strong foundation, even if Bennett was dismissed for 49 for the second straight game. Unfazed, Raza proceeded to reach 32-ball 47, including two sixes and three fours.
180 was imminent with Raza at the crease, and Shanaka would need to make an incredible sprinting catch in the deep to terminate his innings.

Zimbabwe's innings ended with a relative whimper when Bennett and Raza were both back in the dugout; they managed to surpass the 160-mark by scoring 22 runs in the last three overs. Dushmantha Chameera bowled two of the last three overs for just 12 runs, while Malinga added to his outstanding debut with a double-wicket penultimate over.
The home of (batting) horrors in Sri Lanka

Following the powerplay, Sri Lanka was chasing 163 and ended up on 25 for 2, their lowest powerplay total in 14 Twenty20 Internationals in 2025. The Sri Lankan batters' way of thinking was short-wired by Zimbabwe's combination of tight lines and lengths and sound strategies.

Kusal Perera skied one to short fine leg in the second over after Pathum Nissanka clipped one to midwicket in the first, but what came next was absolutely disastrous. In their 19-run partnership, the returning Rajapaksa and Kusal Mendis consumed 26 deliveries. During this time, players like Ngarava, Tinotenda Maposa, and Evans put such much pressure on the Lankan batsmen that they were starved of boundary deliveries and forced to take increasingly dangerous singles.
 

The partnership ended after one such unfortunate run, in which Rajapaksa hit a straight to cover before embarking on a nonexistent single. Rajapaksa was halfway down when he looked up and saw that his buddy was still at the other end. Kusal Mendis had made a late run for safety, but not even a misdirected throw to the wicketkeeper could save him.
An over later, Rajapaksa was at the non-striker's end, denying a fairly simple single, and almost had Shanaka run out. Only a genuinely terrible throw to the keeper saved Shanaka's wicket.

Rajapaksa was quickly removed after being clean bowled while attempting to hit out. When Raza slipped one past Kamindu Mendis halfway through the eleventh over, Sri Lanka had already lost their top four in the first ten overs. The only player to provide some resistance was Shanaka, but Sri Lanka's slim hopes vanished when he overtook Ryan Burl. Evans finished the innings off the last pitch after the remainder of the batting dragged the game to the very end.