1st Test: Sri Lanka Crush Zimbabwe by 10 Wickets to Take 1-0 Lead

Sri Lanka defeated Zimbabwe by 10 wickets in the first Test of a two-match series at the at the Harare Sports Club in Harare on Thursday.

Chasing 14 to win, Sri Lanka achieved that target in three overs without any damage.

Zimbabwe resumed their innings at 30/0 on the fifth and final morning, the hosts would have been hoping to bat through the day or just enough to make their opponents bat again and push for a draw in their first Test since November 2018. They needed 157 to make Sri Lanka bat again.

However, Suranga Lakmal poured cold water on their hopes by knocking down their top-order. He first struck with the scalp of opener Prince Masvaure (17) before snaring Brian Mudzinganyama, Craig Ervine and veteran Brendan Taylor to leave Zimbabwe 120/4.

They lost their final seven wickets for the addition of just 50 runs with Lakmal taking 4/27 while fellow pacer Lahiru Kumara chipping in with 3/32.

Zimbabwe folded for 170 in 92 overs with a slim lead of 13 runs.

Sri Lanka allrounder Angelo Mathews was named player of the match for his unbeaten double-century in the first innings. "I wanted to go for a biggy," said Mathews after the game. "It was very slow going and they gave nothing away with their umbrella field. We didn't want to bat in the fourth innings. There was some variable bounce and turn. We wanted a lead of 160 so I had to make sure we got there."

Zimbabwe captain Sean Williams said, "The guys tried their hardest. There are going to be hurdles that we have to cross as a team."

The second Test starts from January 27.