Aiden Markram’s unbeaten 67 that followed another strong bowling performance helped South Africa complete a 5-0 sweep with a convincing win in the final ODI which was shortened by a floodlight failure in Cape Town.
Batting first, Sri Lanka managed only 225 in 49.3 overs. Rabada finished with 3 for 50 while Imran Tahir, in his final ODI in South Africa, took 2 for 33. Pacer Anrich Nortje took 2 for 35.
South Africa were 135 for 2 in 28 overs with Markram and Rassie van der Dussen (28*) in the middle when bad light stopped play. Technicians tried to fix the floodlight in vain, after which South Africa were awarded the match as they were 41 runs ahead by DLS method.
The hosts lost Quinton de Kock early for just six in the third over, but Markram and Faf du Plessis (24) added 70 for the second wicket to ensure Sri Lanka wouldn’t fight back. Markram carried on after his captain fell to take South Africa home.
Sri Lanka lost their openers in single digit scores and never recovered as South Africa kept striking regularly. Five batsmen scored more than 20 but only one converted the start into a half-century.
In the end, Kusal Mendis’s 56 and a useful lower order partnership lifted Sri Lanka to a respectable total.
