Luke Jongwe shares interesting anecdote after match-winning heist

Zimbabwe needed 20 runs off the final over with Luke Jongwe facing his childhood hero Angelo Mathews, who was playing his comeback series in the format.

The Zimbabwe all-rounder commented that he had come close to sealing matches in the recent past for his team but couldn't quite do it until last night when he smashed Mathews for six, four and six to put Zimbabwe on top in a tense final over.

"Doing it against Sri Lanka, considering Angelo was one of my role models growing up, is even better," Jongwe said at the post-match press conference.

"That's special. He used to be my wallpaper when I was a kid. He was still using Gray-Nicolls gear at that time. I was still a youngster. On Facebook, at one point he was my profile picture.

"There's too much happening for me today. There are a lot of emotions. I'm just grateful to God."

Jongwe started slowly for Zimbabwe, knowing that they'd need to get an extra over from outside their top bowlers. With Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Madushanka bowling the 18th and 19th over respectively, Jongwe hit just one boundary, patiently waiting for the final over.

"I knew they needed one over from someone, because Chameera was done and Madushanka was done," he clarified.

"I told myself I wasn't going to take a risk against them, and wait until the last over, and give myself the best chance."

Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe, 3rd T20I, Scorecard

It worked out for Zimbabwe despite 20 runs being "a lot" according to Jongwe himself. After his three successive boundaries, including one off a no-ball, Zimbabwe needed just three off four balls. Jongwe was dropped after this, but Clive Madande hit a six off the penultimate ball to win the game for Zimbabwe.

It was Zimbabwe's first men's T20I win over Sri Lanka in five attempts and it came with a heartwarming tale of their all-rounder taking down one of his childhood idols.