T20 World Cup is in the super 12 stage and South Africa defeated Sri Lanka in a thrilling last over contest in the first half of the double header.
South Africa with this win have secured their second win and saved their chances and hopes to reach the semifinals.
South Africa won the toss and elected to bowl first. Proteas bowled out the Lankan Lions on the score of 142 in 20 overs and then chased the score with 4 wickets and 1 ball remaining.
Wanindu Hasaranga took the second hat-trick of the World Cup 2021 and overall third in the history of T20 World Cups but the hat-trick went in vain as Miller’s last over heroics saved the day for South Africa.
Tabraiz Shamsi was awarded with the player of the match for his splendid bowling spell of 3 wickets for 17 runs in four overs.
Match Summary
South Africa won the toss and invited Sri Lanka to bat first. Nissanka and Perera came to open the innings for Sri Lanka.
Openers failed to gave team a great start ad they lost the wicket of Perera in the fourth over itself. He got out after scoring 7 runs of 10 balls on Anrich Nortje’s ball.
Asalanka joined Nissanka and progressed the scoreboard for a while. Both batsmen even built up a good partnership of 41 runs but lost the wicket of Asalanka in the 9th over in form of a run out.
Prathum Nissanka kept on scoring runs from one end but no other Sri Lankan batsmen could hold of the other end and support him.
Rajapaksa got out on duck, Fernando on 3 and Hasaranga on 4. Sri Lankan middle order collapsed in front of Tabraiz Shamsi.
Shanaka for a while seemed like might provide the support to Nissanka from the other end but got out in the 17th over after scoring 11 runs of 12 balls.
Nissanka completed his half century and kept on progressing the scoreboard from one end.
Dwaine Pretorius came with the final twist of the match as he grabbed two wickets in the 19th over including the wicket of the set batsmen Prathum Nissanka.
Nissanka got out after scoring 72 of 58 balls and helped his side reach a respectable total of 142 in 20 overs.
Sri Lanka lost their last 2 wickets in the last two balls of the last over and got all out on 142.
Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks came to open the Innings for South Africa and chase the target.
Both openers failed to gave team a good start as Dushmantha Chameera took the wickets of both the openers in the fourth over itself.
De Kock got out after scoring 12 runs in 10 balls and Hendricks on 11 runs of 12 balls.
Now Van Der Dussen and the skipper Bavuma were on the pitch and even progressed the scoreboard ahead. Both joined 23 runs before the unfortunate run out of Van Der Dussen in the 8th over.
Aiden Markram now joined Bavuma in the middle and progressed the scoreboard ahead. They built up a partnership of 47 runs before Markram’s departure in the 15th over on Hasaranga’s delivery.
Bavuma kept on playing a steady inning from one until Hasaranga striked twice in the 18th over and took the second hat-trick of this T20 World Cup and first of the super 12 stage.
This was the third ever hat-trick in the history of T20 World Cup. Curtis Campher from Ireland took a hat-trick earlier in the qualifying stage against Netherlands.
Hasaranga’s Hat-trick brought Sri Lanka back in the game and pushed Proteas on the backfoot.
In the last over South Africa were in need of 15 runs. Lahiru Kumara was the one bowling the last over.
Miller hit two consecutive sixes to Lahiru Kumara and changed the winds again, now Proteas were back in the game.
Rabada hit a boundary on the 5th ball of the over to steal the victory away from Sri Lanka.
The victory has brought South Africa back in the race to semifinals and they will be having a close look at the match between England and Australia too.
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