Pathum Nissanka top scored with a swift 55 as Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by four wickets in Harare in the first of three T20Is on Wednesday.

Zimbabwe posted 175-7 in 20 overs, thanks mainly to 81 runs from opener Brian Bennett, and Sri Lanka reached 177-6 with five balls to spare. The teams meet again on Saturday and Sunday.

After 27-year-old right-hand bat Nissanka played a pivotal role with a half century and a century in a 2-0 ODI series victory, he proved equally successful in the shorter format.

His 15th T20 half century came off 32 balls and included four fours and two sixes before a top edge off the bowling of Tinotenda Maposa was caught by wicketkeeper Tadiwanashe Marumani.

His exit triggered a mini-collapse as four Sri Lankan wickets fell in 19 balls with the tourists adding just 10 runs to reach 106-4.

But an unbeaten 41 from Kamindu Mendis off 16 balls, including four sixes, steadied the tourists’ innings. His main support came from Dushan Hemantha (14*).

Quick Richard Ngarava, with 2-19 in four overs, was the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers at Harare Sports Club.

Bennett fell 10 runs short of his best T20 score as he notched a fifth T20 half century.

Attempting a scoop shot, Bennett was the victim of a yorker from quick Dushmantha Chameera (3-30) that uprooted the middle stump.

The only other Zimbabwe batsman to pass the 20-run mark was captain Sikandar Raza, who made 28 before being caught by Nissanka at deep midwicket off the bowling of Hemantha.

© Agence France-Presse

Photo: Zimbabwe Cricket