Johannesburg- South Africa weathered the Quinton de Kock “take the knee” storm to make it two wins out of three with their victory over Sri Lanka in the Super 12 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates yesterday.
The Proteas next two matches are against Bangladesh on Tuesday and England on Saturday.
Needing 22 runs from nine balls, Kagiso Rabada and David Miller soaked in the pressure to strike three sixes and a boundary to chase 143 with four wickets and one ball to spare.
It marked a dramatic turnaround for South Africa, who had been pegged back early by a double strike from Dushmantha Chameera, and then at the death by a hat-trick from Wanindu Hasaranga.
On a Sharjah surface where batters of both teams struggled, Pathum Nissanka held firm with a stroke-filled 72 off 58 to help Sri Lanka post 142.
However, it proved insufficient as the Islanders slipped to their second loss in three Super 12 games.
For South Africa, Tabraiz Shamsi, the No.1 bowler on the ICC Men’s T20I Rankings, ran through Sri Lanka in the middle overs, finishing with 3/17, while Dwaine Pretorius cleaned them up at the death for 3/17 as well.
South Africa’s chase got off to a rocky start. De Kock, returning for this game, spooned a catch back to Chameera in the very first over but the bowler had overstepped.
Chameera, though, was soon among the wickets, bowling with good pace. Reeza Hendricks burnt a review in challenging an LBW decision.
De Kock was then surprised by a short ball, with Chameera himself calling for the top-edge and doing well to hold on.
The wickets caused the boundaries to dry up. With runs hard to come by, Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen were forced to take some risky runs. While they benefitted from a few overthrows, their luck finally ran out when Van der Dussen fell prey to a direct hit from Dasun Shanaka at cover.
Bavuma hit his first four only on the 30th ball he faced. With Aiden Markram bowled by Hasaranga with 47 needed off 30, there was further pressure on him.
He released some of it with a six off Chameera before Hasaranga struck again to deny him his half-century, with Nissanka plucking a catch at the ropes.
The bowler then had new batter Dwaine Pretorius out first ball, caught in the deep, to complete his hat-trick across two overs. It was left to Chameera and Lahiru Kumara to deny South Africa the 25 runs needed in the final two overs.
But when Chameera missed his length slightly, Rabada smashed a six over long-off, leaving South Africa 15 to get in the final over.
Kumara too missed his length in the final over, and Miller heaved him into the stands for back-to-back sixes.
With the scores even, Rabada got a lucky outside edge for four and got South Africa over the line.
Earlier, after Sri Lanka were asked to bat, neither team ran away with the advantage in the powerplay. South Africa’s pacers went for a few runs but it was also Anrich Nortje who got the first breakthrough. – Report by icc-cricket.com
For the latest sports news from Sunday World, click here.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here.
Sunday World
