Toss: Sri Lanka. Away from the limelight, the Cup's least-fancied teams staged a record-breaking encounter. The bare pitch and short boundaries of Pukekura Park helped them both to reach 300 for the first time in a limited-overs international, and no other team had passed that mark batting second. Their aggregate was one short of the 626 shared by Pakistan and Sri Lanka at Swansea in 1983. Of the 12 bowlers, only Traicos, the 44-year-old off-spinner, emerged with respectable figures. Zimbabwe's opener, Flower, scored an unbeaten 115 and earned the match award on his full international début. He was supported first by Arnott, and then Waller in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 145 – a World Cup record – in 13 overs. Waller's 83 took a mere 45 balls (three sixes, nine fours), and his 32-ball 50 was also a Cup record. Zimbabwe looked forward to the second win that had eluded them since 1983, but the Sri Lankans were undaunted. Mahanama and Samarasekera (50 in 33 balls) opened with 128, and though the middle order faltered, Ranatunga (61 balls) approached his task with relish, securing victory with his ninth four.

Man of the Match: A. Flower. Attendance: 3,100.

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