Images from the T20 World Cup match between South Africa and Sri Lanka in Sharjah on Saturday.
- Scorecard
Left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi spun his web around the Sri Lankan batters as South Africa bundled them out for 142 despite opener Pathum Nissanka’s half-century in the Super 12 T20 World Cup match at the Sharjah Cricket Ground on Saturday.
On a track that aided spinners, Shamsi rattled the Sri Lankan middle-order to return with fine figures of 3/17 and his scalps included Bhanuka Rajapaksa (0), Avishka Fernando (3) and Wanindu Hasaranga (4).
The 23-year-old Nissanka was the lone Sri Lankan to shine with the bat, hitting 72 off just 58 balls, with six fours and three sixes.
Put into bat, Kusal Perera (7) and Nissanka, who hit his second T20 fifty, started cautiously.
Pacer Anrich Nortje got South Africa the early wicket as he cleaned up Perera, who went for a wild swing but missed and was bowled.
The in-form Charith Asalanka (21) joined Nissanka, as the duo tried to rally the innings with their 41-run stand.
Asalanka struck two successive fours in the sixth over off Nortje, including a beautiful straight drive, to get 13 runs from the sixth over.
The spinners kept things tight, before Asalanka and Nissanka freed their arms, hammering a six each in the ninth over off Keshav Maharaj.
But South Africa pegged back the Sri Lankans by scalping four quick wickets in the middle overs.
Rabada’s brilliance in the field meant that Asalanka was run out as he risked a difficult second run. In the next over, Shamsi completed a simple return catch of his own bowling to dismiss Rajapaksa to leave the opposition tottering at 62/3.
Shamsi, in a similar fashion, removed Fernando as they further slipped to 77/4. The left-arm spinner got his third wicket when he dismissed Hasaranga, who holed out to the fielder at long-on.
Skipper Dasun Shanaka’s (11) horrid form also continued as he was caught at sweeper cover off Dwaine Pretorius, who sent Sri Lanka crashing in the death overs.
Nissanka, who hit his second T20 half-century, however continued playing his shots and took on the bowlers with gusto, but Pretorius (3/17) rattled the lower order.
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