Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by 2 wickets in a rain-hit second ODI at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Monday to take a 1-0 lead in the series after the first match was washed out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chasing a target of 209 runs, Sri Lanka reached the target in 49 overs with two wickets to spare in a thrilling encounter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Janith Liyanage (95) top scored for the home side as Sahan Arachchige chipped in with 21. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earlier, Zimbabwe won the top and elected to bat first against Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sri Lanka spinner Maheesh Theekshana returned figures of 4-31 to help bowl out Zimbabwe for 208 despite skipper Craig Ervine\u2019s 82 in the second one-day international on Monday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zimbabwe elected to bat first in Colombo and looked good at 182-4, but were bowled out in 44.4 overs losing the last six wickets for just 26 runs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The left-handed Ervine put on key partnerships including 67-run fifth-wicket stand with Ryan Burl, who made 31, but the batting fell apart after the captain\u2019s departure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ervine was superbly caught by Sadeera Samarawickrama, who took a one handed catch diving to his right at extra cover off fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ervine survived a stumping chance as his opposite number Kusal Mendis couldn\u2019t collect the ball cleanly. He was on 29 at that point and went onto post his 20th half-century and the fifth as captain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Theekshana was ably supported by the bowlers as fellow spinner Jeffrey Vandersay, who made a remarkable comeback, and Chameera took two wickets each. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first game between the teams on Saturday was washed out by rain and inclement weather could play spoilsport again. The final game is on Thursday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n