In the second One-Day International against Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka's opening batsman surpasses his ex-captain's record with a game-clinching century.

In a remarkable display of batting prowess, Pathum Nissanka continued his impressive form in the 2nd ODI against Zimbabwe, scoring a match-winning hundred and leading Sri Lanka to a 278-run target with three balls and five wickets remaining.

Nissanka's 122 from 136 balls, featuring 16 fours, was not only the highest score by a Sri Lankan in a successful run chase in Zimbabwe but also the third highest score by a Sri Lankan in an ODI in the country. This achievement adds to his growing list of accolades, with the young batsman now holding the fourth most centuries by any Sri Lankan opener, with 7 hundreds.

Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, and Sanath Jayasuriya are the only Sri Lankan openers with more centuries than Nissanka. However, the 24-year-old has already surpassed former captain Marvan Atapattu, who previously had 6 centuries as an opener. Nissanka's consistent performances have propelled him to the second position in the list of century makers of all time for Sri Lanka, behind only Kumar Sangakkara.

Nissanka's century in the 2nd ODI also marked Sri Lanka's never-losing record when he scores a century. This streak is a testament to his ability to deliver under pressure and his significant impact on the team's success.

In the Zimbabwean innings, Ben Curran scored 79, his third consecutive fifty-plus score in ODIs, helping Zimbabwe post a total of 277-7. Sikandar Raza contributed an unbeaten 59.

Charith Asalanka supported Nissanka with a score of 71, ensuring a strong foundation for the chase. Nissanka's century, coupled with Asalanka's contribution, guided Sri Lanka to a clean sweep in the series, making the score 2-0.

Since his debut, Nissanka has scored the most runs during this period, with an average of 41.60. His performances in winning causes have also been noteworthy, placing him sixth on the list of Sri Lankan batters with the most ODI centuries in winning causes.

With his impressive performances, Nissanka has the potential to overtake both Aravinda de Silva (11 centuries) and Marvan Atapattu (11 centuries) in his career. As he continues to shine for Sri Lanka, fans and experts alike eagerly anticipate his future achievements.

Nissanka was duly recognised for his performances in the series, being named Player of the Series. His contributions have undoubtedly played a crucial role in Sri Lanka's dominance in the series against Zimbabwe.

In the second One-Day International against Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka's opening batsman surpasses his ex-captain's record with a game-clinching century.