Sri Lanka to host Zimbabwe for six white-ball games in January

Sri Lanka are set to embark on their T20 World Cup preparations with a home series against Zimbabwe. The series, featuring three ODIs and three T20Is, will mark the first bilateral T20I encounter between the two teams in Sri Lanka. Additionally, it is going to be the first ODI series on the island since January 2022 between these two sides. 

Ranked seventh in the ICC ODI rankings, Sri Lanka will aim to address their issues against the 11th-ranked Zimbabwe, who have failed to qualify for the upcoming T20 World Cup, after being defeated by Uganda in the recently concluded ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Region Qualifier 2023 in Namibia.

With a focus on ODIs this year due to the 50-over World Cup, Sri Lanka played only six T20Is, winning two against Ireland at home and losing four against New Zealand and Pakistan. The series against Zimbabwe, starting with ODIs on January 6, 8, and 11, followed by T20Is on January 14, 16, and 18, will be played at Colombo's R Premadasa Stadium. Originally planned for Dambulla and Kandy, the matches were shifted to Colombo due to the Under-19 World Cup relocation to South Africa.

Sri Lanka's performances have fallen short of expectations, facing one-sided defeats in the Asia Cup 2023 and failing to qualify for the ODI World Cup semifinals. Going forward, the Sri Lankan team would be eager to rectify their recent mistakes and regain their form, playing better cricket to entertain fans around the world.

Despite Zimbabwe being much lower in the rankings, this series is set to be a competitive one and not a straightforward series for the Lankans, courtesy of some great T20-format players that Zimbabwe possess, including Sikandar Raza, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, and Ryan Burl. It is worth mentioning that Sri Lanka hold the eighth position in T20Is, while Zimbabwe sit in 13th place.