Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe set for Hambantota showdown

Craig Ervine (left) celebrates after guiding ZImbabwe to victory in the fourth one-day international against Sri Lanka in Hambantota on Saturday.

The last time Zimbabwe was in Sri Lanka for a bilateral series, it was way back in 1998, and the result was a 3-0 series sweep by the home side. Nearly two decades later, Zimbabwe arrived in Sri Lanka with many expecting them to put on a fight but eventually be defeated like it was all those years ago. Come Monday, Zimbabwe will have their chance to prove the naysayers wrong when they face the home side in the series-deciding fifth and final One-Day International at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International stadium in Hambantota.
After Graeme Cremer's men stunned the home side with a fine win in the opener, Sri Lanka struck back with comprehensive victories in subsequent games. And after compiling 300 in the fourth ODI, Angelo Mathews & Co. would have fancied an early finish to the series. As fate would have it, rain forced a revision of the target to 219 from 31 overs. It wasn't an easy task but Zimbabwe didn't have the daunting 300-mark to pay heed to during the run chase, and sure enough the batsmen scaled the score in 29.2 overs to level the series at 2-2.
With the series on the line, Zimbabwe, whose bowlers have conceded 300 plus scores on three occasions in the first four matches, will need to address the bowling department concerns and hope the batting clicks once again.
A good mix of experience and youth has kept the team abreast with the opposition, but Zimbabwe will need someone to don the role of anchor if the middle order does get exposed. The team have failed to capitalise on the base laid by the top order a fair few times, and in a crunch game that could be the difference between a trophy and a 'well fought' loss.
Sri Lanka are a side in transition and the process has been all too evident during the course of this series. But to team management's credit, they have identified some genuine talent, and Niroshan Dickwella is certainly one of them. The young left-hand wicketkeeper-batsman has scored centuries in successive games, and has been part of two double-hundred partnerships with Danushka Gunathilaka, another young talent.
Wanindu Hasaranga, the leg-spinner, is another serious contender for a permanent spot in the side after picking up eight wickets in three games.