Top ranked Sri Lanka kept their pride beating South Africa by 5 runs in their first Super10 match of the ICC World Twenty20 at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Saturday.
Replying to Sri Lanka’s 165 runs, South Africa scored 160 runs for 8 in 20 overs.
One down Jean-Paul Duminy scored 39 runs off 30 balls featuring three fours and two sixes before he was caught by Tillakaratne Dilshan off a Sachithra Senanayake delivery, leaving the team total to 119 for 4 in 15.4 overs.
In the 2nd wicket stand, Jean-Paul Duminy partnering with Hashim Amla contributed 50 runs in 6.2 overs with the scoreboard showing 82 for 2 in 10.5 overs.
Quinton de Kock was bowled by Lasith Malinga after making 25 runs from 18 deliveries with four fours and a six.
Skipper AB de Villiers (24), Hashim Amla (23), David Miller (19) and Albie Morkel (12) were the other scorers for South Africa.
Sachithra Senanayake claimed two wickets for 22 runs in his four overs spell while Angelo Mathews, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga and Ajantha Mendis took one wicket each conceding 21, 23, 29 and 44 runs respectively.
Earlier, batting first after winning the toss, Sri Lanka posted 165 for seven wickets in the stipulated 20 overs.
Opener Kusal Perera hammered 61 runs off 40 balls featuring six fours and three sixes to be adjudged man of the match.
Sri Lanka faced an early jolt losing two top order batsmen — Tillakaratne Dilshan (0) and Mahela Jayawardene (9) — for 42 runs in 4.2 overs.
However, Kusal Perera’s performance helped Sri Lanka to repair the early loses taking the team total to 106 for 4 in 13.3 overs before he was caught by skipper AB de Villiers off an Imran Tahir delivery.
In the third wicket stand, Kusal Perera pairing with Kumar Sangakkara contributed 41 runs in 5.3 overs to carry the team to 83 for 3 in 9.5 overs.
Middle order Angelo Mathews scored 43 runs off 32 balls with three fours and a six before he was clean-bowled by Dale Steyn leaving the team total at 160 runs for 7 in 19.3 overs.
Kumar Sangakkara scored 14 runs facing 18 deliveries with a boundary before he was caught by Lonwabo Tsotsobe off an Imran Tahir delivery.
Skipper Dinesh Chandimal added just 12 runs off 9 balls with a four.
Imran Tahir bowled superbly to claim three wickets for 26 runs in his four overs spell while Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn took two wickets conceding 31 and 37 runs respectively.
