Hosts Zimbabwe have tasted defeat at the 2023 Men's World Cup Qualifier for the first time today after a rampant Sri Lanka bounced back from a close match against the Dutch with a thumping win today in Bulawayo to secure pole position in the World Cup.

Put into bat, Zimbabwe lost Joylord Gumbie and Wessly Madhevere early in their innings, with Craig Ervine also back in the dressing room by the seventh over with the score on just 30. Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza put on 68 for the fourth wicket before Raza was out for 31 in the 20th over.

Williams - in the form of his life in this tournament - was able to score 56 before he was out, but after his dismissal there were no more significant contributions. Mahessh Theekshana was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers with 4-25 and Dilshan Madushanka took 3-15 as the home team were bowled out for 165.

Pathum Nissanka dominated the Sri Lankan reply with an unbeaten 101 as his team completed a nine wicket win in just 33.1 overs. Dimuth Karunaratne scored 30 with Kusal Mendis contributing an unbeaten 25.\

Pathum Nissanka during his century (ICC)

With Zimbabwe and Scotland still to play each other, it isn't possible for both teams to finish on equal points with Sri Lanka, meaning that Sri Lanka are safely in the World Cup later this year. Zimbabwe can join them with a win over Scotland on Tuesday, whilst a Scotland win will mean they just need to beat the Netherlands to qualify, though Zimbabwe's net run rate has taken enough of a kicking to give the Dutch a sniff at qualification should results go their way.

Sri Lanka will get plenty of time to celebrate qualification as they don't play again until Friday, when they take on the West Indies.