Jayawardene leads Sri Lanka to win over Zimbabwe

The 32-year-old Jayawardene slammed 10 fours and four sixes to dominate Sri Lanka’s innings of 173-7 off 20 overs.

Zimbabwe’s chase never got momentum as it was twice halted by rain, and ended limply with them 29-1 off five overs — well behind on the Duckworth/Lewis system.

Showers stopped the Africans at 4-0 off one over and, on resumption, they were set a revised target of 104 off 11 overs.

They failed to hit a single boundary going after a further 100 runs off 10 overs.

Rain returned to cut them short just after the final ball of the fifth over — the minimum needed to constitute a match.

Earlier, Sri Lanka got a flying start from Jayawardene after winning the toss. The silky right-hander became the fourth batsman to register an international Twenty20 century and the second in this tournament following India’s Suresh Raina against South Africa on Sunday.

He struck pacer Chris Mpofu for two fours and a six in the opening over.

Sri Lanka, needing to win to avoid going out the tournament, raced to 59-1 off the first six overs.

Jayawardene, whose only chance was a close run out chance to Charles Coventry when he was 35, passed his second successive fifty of the competition off 27 deliveries.

No Zimbabwe bowler escaped punishment and the Sri Lankans lashed 11 fours and nine sixes during the innings.

Zimbabwe needs to beat New Zealand in its final Group B match on Tuesday to have any chance of advancing to the Super Eights.

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Sri Lanka 173-7 against Zimbabwe

Sri Lanka made 173 for seven off their 20 overs against Zimbabwe in the World Twenty20 here on Monday after winning the toss.

Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene became the fourth man to score a century in a Twenty20 international when his sparkling ton on Monday helped his side to 173 for seven against Zimbabwe.

Jayawardene opened the innings and dominated from the outset scoring ten fours and four sixes before he went in the penultimate over for exactly 100 from 64 balls.

The classy former skipper had helped Sri Lanka make a blistering start bringing up 50 in just 5.1 overs and 100 inside 12 overs but found it slower going later in the innings.

Jayawardene’s century was the second of this tournament following Indian Suresh Raina’s against South Africa on Sunday.

Zimababwe face a difficult task against a talented Sri Lankan bowling attack, albeit without injured spinner Muttiah Muralitharan who has been ruled out of the tournament with a groin injury.

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Sri Lanka elects to bat against Zimbabwe

Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara won the toss Monday and chose to bat against Zimbabwe in the Group B match at the World Twenty20.

Sri Lanka, needing a win at Guyana National Stadium to stay in the tournament, made two changes to the team that lost to New Zealand last Friday.

Star offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan has been ruled out of the rest of the competition due to a groin injury, with offspinner Suraj Randiv taking his place.

Left-arm seamer Chanaka Welegedara has been replaced by allrounder Thissara Perera.

Zimbabwe, on a high after warm-up wins over Australia and Pakistan, omitted Andy Blignaut, Vusi Sibanda, Chamu Chibhabha and Timycen Maruma from its 15-player squad.

The teams:

Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara (captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews, Sanath Jayasuriya, Suraj Randiv, Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis, Thissara Perera.

Zimbabwe: Hamilton Masakadza, Brendan Taylor, Tatenda Taibu, Craig Ervine, Elton Chigumbura, Charles Coventry, Greg Lamb, Graeme Cremer, Prosper Utseya (captain), Ray Price, Chris Mpofu.

Umpires: Billy Doctrove, Dominica, and Ian Gould, England.

Third umpire: Steve Davis, Australia. Match referee: Alan Hurst, Australia.