David Miller and Kagiso Rabada’s match-winning hitting at the death and Temba Bavuma’s measured 46 backed up a clinical bowling performance from Tabraiz Shamsi (3-17) to clinch a 4-wicket win against Sri Lanka.
What a game. There aren’t many words to subscribe the excitement in a match report but to those who never got to watch this thriller, here is how the game went.
The Proteas opted to bowl first on a low and slow pitch, where 140 seemed to be a defendable total.
Temba Bavuma marshalled his bowlers well in the opening overs. Sri Lanka was 20-1 after a wicket from Anrich Nortje in the 4th over. Kusal Perera watched the ball crash into his middle stump attempting to pull a quick and straight back-of-the-length delivery from Nortje.
Sri Lanka’s star player, Asalanka, looked confident at the start of his innings, with two fours and a six. They were 39 for 1 after the powerplay.
Sri Lanka was looking like they were digging their hills in, particularly when Maharaj went for two sixes in the ninth over after sustained pressure in the 7th and 8th over, but on the last ball of the 9th, Sri Lanka went for an unnecessary second and Rabada’s throw landed perfectly into Quinton de Kock’s gloves for a run-out.
Tabraiz Shamsi then removed Bhanuka Rajapaksa caught and bowled in the 10th over with Sri Lanka on 62-3. He struck again in almost identical fashion, this time Avishka Fernando popping it up to him in the 12th over. Sri Lanka were now 4 down for 77.
Shamsi finished with 3-17 when he removed Wanindu Hasaranga who hit straight to a diving Aiden Markram at long-on.
Dwaine Pretorius bowled accurate wide deliveries and took the wicket of the captain Dasun Shanaka who guided the ball to a diving Rabada at sweeper cover. Sri Lanka finished the 17th over with 112-6.
Chamika Karunaratne lost his wicket to Pretorius, but one man saved Sri Lanka from total embarrassment.
Pathum Nissanka played beautifully throughout the match. He was responsible to give the Sri Lankans a total to defend. He hit six fours and three sixes for his 72 off 58 deliveries, but Pretorius’ slow ball did the trick forcing the in-man to pull the ball to Nortje at deep midwicket. Sri Lanka was 134-8 after 19 overs.
Sri Lanka got vital runs in the final over against Nortje despite him taking a wicket and a run out, which took them to 142 all out.
The Proteas had a terrible start to their chase. They lost two wickets for 26 runs after 4 overs and they lost their 3rd to a run out with 49 on the board on the last ball of the 8th over.
This left Bavuma and Markram with a tricky chase on their hands.
They ran a lot of singles and twos to keep the run rate within reach, but wickets were their issue in the match. Markram lost his wicket after a 19-ball 19, his side now on 96-4 after 15 overs.
Bavuma (46 off 46) was the Proteas’ key man but lost his wicket four runs short of a half-century with the score at 112, Hasaranga picking up his 2nd of the match. He made it a hattrick when he removed Pretorius for a duck. SA was 118-6 after the 18th over and in trouble.
South Africa needed Miller time to take them over the line with 25 needed off 12, but it was Kagiso Rabada who hit a massive 6 to keep SA in the game but the single on the last ball left him on strike with 15 needed off 6.
A single was taken and it was left to 14 off 5 balls and Miller on strike. Miller hit a massive six on the second ball and a massive six on the third ball to take it to 2 off 3. Miller took a single and it was 1 off 2 balls with Rabada on strike. Rabada hit a 4 to win the match by 4-wickets.
Miller finished with 23 off 13 balls and Rabada 13 off 7.
Photo: Cricket South Africa
