Opening batsman Kusal Mendis blazed a 29-ball 54 and Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva 37 off 14 in sounding Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup campaign defeating Zimbabwe by 33 runs in the first of two warm ups at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds yesterday.

Sri Lanka, taking first lease, ran up 188 for 5 wickets but had to surmount all their resources to check Zimbabwe’s bold response of 155 for 5 off 20 with Chamika Karunaratne and Maheesh Theekshana taking 2 for 26 and 2 for 39 respectively and Dhananjaya de Silva 1 for 5. Wesley Madhevere top scored for Zimbabwe with 42.

CHIEF SCORES: Sri Lanka 188/3 (20 OVERS) Kusal Mendis 54, Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva n.o. 37, Dhananjaya de Silva 17, Bhanuka Rajapaksa 17, Dhanushka Gunathilaka 17, Dasun Shanaka 17. Zimbabwe 155/5 (20 OVERS) Wesley Madhevere 42, Craig Irvine 24, Regis Chakabva 20, Ryan Buri 12, Tony Munyonga 12, Chamika Karunaratne 2/26, Maheesh Theekshana 2/39, Dhananjaya de Silva 1/5)