Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka by three wickets, secure first-ever ODI series win

Zimbabwe defeated Sri Lanka by three-wickets as they secured their first-ever win in an ODI series against the Lankans and won an away ODI series for the first time since 2009.

Zimbabwe edged out Sri Lanka by three wickets in the fifth one-day international on Monday to clinch their first overseas triumph in eight years.

Zimbabwe registered a win by three wickets as they secured their first-ever series victory over Sri Lanka in a bilateral ODI series. (AFP)

Taking the series 3-2, the 11th-ranked Zimbabwe team also registered their first series win in the South Asian nation.

Off-spinner Sikandar Raza claimed three wickets in Hambantota to restrict the hosts to 203-8 after Zimbabwe elected to field first. He then anchored a tense chase with an unbeaten 27 as the visitors won with 71 balls to spare.

Zimbabwe opener Hamilton Masakadza top-scored with a fluent 73 before rookie Sri Lankan off-spinner Akila Dananjaya struck back with four wickets to rattle the visitor’s middle-order.

Zimbabwe slipped from 137-1 to 175-7 -- losing six wickets for 38 runs, but Raza and skipper Graeme Cremer hung on for an unbeaten 29-run stand as the perennial underdogs of world cricket erupted in celebrations.

Sri Lanka suffered early on from a lack of partnerships but opener Danushka Gunathilaka (52) and Asela Gunaratne (59 not out) hit gritty half-centuries to steady the home side, though it was not enough to stop an inspired Zimbabwe.