Farmane-Ilahi

HARARE – Opener Dhananjaya de Silva struck an unbeaten 78 to help Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by eight wickets on Monday in the opening match of the triangular one-day tournament that also features West Indies. De Silva made his highest ODI score off 75 balls as his side reached their target in less than half the allocated time after Zimbabwe were bowled out for 154 in 41.3 overs. Niroshan Dickwella made 41 in the other significant contribution as Sri Lanka compiled 155 for two in 24.3 overs. Earlier, the visiting seamers scythed through the top order to leave Zimbabwe 50 for six before Peter Moor (47) and captain Graeme Cremer (31 not out) fought back. Sri Lanka meet West Indies at the same Harare Sports Club venue on Wednesday while Zimbabwe's next game is against West Indies in Bulawayo on Saturday. SCOREBOARD 

Zimbabwe Innings           
B. Chari                        c K. Mendis b Lakmal        7   
C. Chibhabha                    lbw b Pradeep               18  
C. Ervine                       c K. Mendis b Lakmal        0   
S. Raza                         c Pathirana b N. Kulasekara 1   
S. Williams                     st Dickwella b Pathirana    9   
P. Moor                         lbw b N. Kulasekara         47  
E. Chigumbura                   c Dickwella b Pradeep       1   
G. Cremer                       not out                     31  
D. Tiripano                     c N. Kulasekara b Gunaratne 19  
C. Mumba                        lbw b Gunaratne             1   
T. Panyangara                   c Jayasuriya b Gunaratne    12  
Extras                          (lb-2 w-6)                  8   
Total                           (all out, 41.3 overs)       154 
Fall of wickets: 1-13 B. Chari,2-13 C. Ervine,3-14 S. Raza,4-29 S. Williams,5-46 C. Chibhabha,6-50 E. Chigumbura,7-105 P. Moor,8-136 D. Tiripano,9-139 C. Mumba,10-154 T. Panyangara
Bowling                    
N. Kulasekara                   8 - 2 - 23 - 2(w-1)             
S. Lakmal                       7 - 0 - 19 - 2                  
S. Pathirana                    10 - 0 - 44 - 1(w-1)            
N. Pradeep                      7 - 1 - 21 - 2(w-3)             
S. Jayasuriya                   3 - 0 - 24 - 0                  
A. Gunaratne                    6.3 - 1 - 21 - 3(w-1)           
Sri Lanka Innings          
D. de Silva                     not out                     78  
K. Perera                       c Raza b Chibhabha          21  
N. Dickwella                    c Mumba b Panyangara        41  
K. Mendis                       not out                     12  
Extras                          (lb-2 nb-1)                 3   
Total                           (for 2 wickets, 24.3 overs) 155 
Fall of wickets: 1-56 K. Perera,2-140 N. Dickwella
Did not bat: U. Tharanga, S. Jayasuriya, A. Gunaratne, S. Pathirana, N. Kulasekara, S. Lakmal, N. Pradeep
Bowling                    
T. Panyangara                   7.3 - 0 - 37 - 1(nb-1)          
C. Mumba                        4 - 0 - 31 - 0                  
D. Tiripano                     3 - 0 - 17 - 0                  
C. Chibhabha                    2 - 0 - 18 - 1                  
S. Raza                         3 - 0 - 25 - 0                  
G. Cremer                       5 - 0 - 25 - 0                  
Referees                   
Umpire: Marais Erasmus                                          
Umpire: Chettithody Shamshuddin                                 
TV umpire: Russell Tiffin                                       
Match referee: Javagal Srinath                                  
Result: Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets. –Reuters