Skipper Temba Bavuma stars as Proteas beat Sri Lanka in nailbiter

By Zaahier Adams

The Proteas completed a memorable victory over Sri Lanka here at the ICC T20 World Cup with just one ball remaining.

The Proteas required 15 runs off the final six balls and David Miller delivered with two killer sixes over the mid-wicket fence to take his team to the brink.

However, it was left to Kagiso Rabada to hit the winning runs with a flaying cut shot that flew off the edge of his bat to the boundary. It was actually Rabada that gave South Africa the win with a Brian Lara-esque six over long-off in the penultimate over.

South Africa had looked to be dead and buried when they lost both captain and top-scorer Temba Bavuma (46 off 46 balls) and Dwaine Pretorius off consecutive balls to Hasaranga de Silva in the 18th over.

However, Miller and Rabada’s pyrotechnics ensured South Africa managed to scrape over the line with an unbroken stand of 34 off just 15 balls. Quinton de Kock could only manage 12 runs upon his return after taking a collective knee with his ea

The batters ensured the good work done earlier in the day by Tabraiz Shamsi (3/17), who passed 50 T20I wickets in the calendar year in the process, and Pretorius’ identical figures at the death did not go unrewarded.

Sri Lankan opener Pathum Nissanka was the only batter from either team that could play with any form of fluency as he stroked a 58-ball 72 that ensured the 2014 champions could muster together 142 runs, but unfortunately it was not enough on the day for Mickey Arthur’s team.

SCORECARD

Sri Lanka: 142 all out (Nissanka 72, Shamsi 3/17, Pretorius 3/17)

South Africa: 146/6 (Bavuma 46, Miller 23*, Rabada 15*)

South Africa won by 4 wickets. IOL