South Africa canter to consolation win over Sri Lanka
Hashim Amla scored an unbeaten 56 as South Africa finished their World Twenty20 campaign with a comprehensive eight-wicket win over deposed champions Sri Lanka.
With both teams already eliminated from the competition, the final Super 10 match in Delhi was consigned to dead-rubber status and Sri Lanka were unable to muster a final flurry as they collapsed from 45-0 off four overs to 120 all out.
It was a measured chase from the Proteas, Amla’s knock coming off 51 balls as his 60-run partnership with Faf du Plessis (31) laid the foundation for South Africa to sign off with a comfortable victory.
Sri Lanka came flying out of the blocks with Dinesh Chandimal (21) going after the out-of-sorts Dale Steyn (1-33), who gave up 16 runs in an expensive second over.
Aaron Phangiso’s (2-26) introduction turned the tide – the spinner conceded 10 on his first two balls before snaring Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne (0) in consecutive deliveries.
Milinda Siriwardana (15) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (36) put on a 30-run stand, but the former wasted his wicket chasing a single and Du Plessis’ rapid reaction saw him run out.
Farhaan Behardien (2-15) then struck in consecutive overs, first accounting for Shehan Jayasuriya (1) before trapping dangerman Dilshan lbw.
A stunning googly from Imran Tahir (1-18) disposed of Chamara Kapugedera (4) and Steyn let out a huge roar when Thisara Perera (8) knocked one straight to Behardien at cover.
Dasun Shanaka’s unbeaten 20 added a modicum of respectability to the score and there was brief hope when Quinton de Kock (9) fell early in South Africa’s chase and Thirimanne almost pulled off a stunning catch off Amla at midwicket.
It was a cautious chase from Du Plessis and Amla, and the 50 mark was not passed until the 10th over.
Sri Lanka, already missing captain Angelo Mathews a hamstring injury, then lost Thirimanne to a similar injury to compound their misery.
Du Plessis was harshly given out lbw off Suranga Lakmal despite a seeming inside edge and that drew a huge roar from the crowd as it brought AB de Villiers to the crease.
Amla smashed South Africa’s first six over short fine leg in the 16th over, which brought up his 1,000th T20 run, and from the next delivery he reached his half century.
And the job was completed with 14 balls to spare when De Villiers smashed Lakmal’s full toss straight over the ropes at midwicket.
