Sri Lanka, along with Bangladesh and Pakistan are still on the run to secure their semi-final berth with an equation to win all their remaining matches with only one team possibly making it to the top 4, while 3 spots seem already taken. Whereas, South African team have been faltering severely with both batting-bowling and fielding and eventually falling short in almost every game to their opponents, making a position in the bottom 4. Sri Lanka had their hopes high to add another win, but the Proteas came back well devised to crush Lankan’s high hopes.
South Africa coming to bowl after winning the toss, took the Sri Lankan batting line-up with a storm as the entire team collapsed with highest single player contribution of just 30 by both Kusal Perera (30 out; 34b; 4X4) and Avishka Fernando (30 out; 29bb; 4X4). As Kasigo Rabada scalped captain Dimuth Karunaratne (0 out; 1b) in the very first ball of the innings, Avishka Fernando and Perera put out a 67 run partnership for the second wicket. But their glory was short-lived as Dwaine Pretorius, the star of the night, scalped both the batsmen in 10th and 12th over. Pretorius was not the only bowler that took 3 wickets, but Chris Morris was remarkable with his 3 wickets, whenever the Lankan’s looked dangerous. The rest of the Sri Lankan’s batting line-up failed to provide any impact on the score as they put 203 on board losing all of their wickets and outlasting 3 balls as well.
With bowlers doing the perfect job, all South Africa needed was one single partnership. The captain along with Hashim Amla played a sensational innings to throttle the Sri Lankan’s bowling line-up that failed to break the partnership of the two. When Lasith Malinga dismissed keeper Quinton de Kock (15 out; 16b; 3X4) early in the innings, Sri Lanka had a distant hope of achieving the desired 2 points. But with the captain coming to crease, Faf du Plessis (96 not out; 103b; 10X4, 1X6) along with Hashim Amla (80 not out; 105b; 5X4) together played an unbeaten knock of 175 runs taking South Africa to win the match after many hardships they face in the ICC World Cup alone. South Africa reached the desired target with ease decimating the Sri Lankan bowling line-up, winning by 9 wickets and 12.4 overs still to be bowled.
