This is Sri Lanka’s first win over South Africa in T20 cricket since 2016. Let us tell you that Chamari Atapattu’s team had a slow start in the first innings and only four runs were scored in the first three overs but Atapattu removed the pressure by hitting Nonkululeko Emalaba for consecutive fours.
Opener Harshita Samarwickrama was caught by Nadine de Klerk at midwicket. From the other end, Atapattu plundered the same bowler by hitting five fours in nine balls. The 17-year-old Vishmi Gunaratne took time to settle but she supported the captain well and played a fine innings of 35 runs in 34 balls.
The two shared an impressive 86-run partnership for the second wicket, which was Sri Lanka’s highest partnership for any wicket in the T20 World Cup. The wickets of both, however, kept Sri Lanka’s run-rate in check as they fell in successive balls. Shabnam Ismail dismissed Nilakshi de Silva in the 19th over while Marianne Kapp conceded just five runs in the last over.
Sri Lankan spinners created a cycle
South Africa got off to a good start in the second innings. Off-spinner Oshadi Ranasinghe put the pressure on with four dot balls in the fifth over of the powerplay and also took the wicket of Brits. Cap also fell victim to Inoka Ranveera in the eighth over after scoring 11 runs.
Ranveera also showed the way to the pavilion to Laura Wolvaardt (18). Significantly, half of the South African team was in the dugout on the score of 72. In such a situation, South Africa missed by three runs due to the run out of Sinalo Jafta and Ismail in the last moments of the match and lost the match.
Source: navbharattimes.indiatimes.com
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