South Africa pulled off a heist against the Sri Lankans winning a thriller by four wickets and just one ball to spare. Batting first, Sri Lanka put on 142 runs and after looking down and out for most of the chase, the South Africans pulled off a brilliant chase.
Nissanka carries the weight for Lankans
Sri Lankan batters didn’t have the best time on the slow pitch of Sharjah except for the in-form Pathum Nissanka. Nissanka made 72 runs in 58 balls to keep the Sri Lankan dream of stitching a big total alive. Asalanka turned out to be the only other batter with some impact, making 21 runs off 14 balls. The rest of the batters fell early and Sri Lanka hobbled to 142.
Tabraiz Shamsi caused mayhem with three wickets for 17 runs spell. Dwaine Pretorius once again grabbed three wickets and spent just 17 runs, bowling at the death. Meanwhile, Anrich Nortje had another economical spell, giving just 27 runs for his two wickets.
Miller seizes the thriller in last over
To sum up the game, the South Africans needed 31 runs in the last three overs. Then Temba Bavuma, the set better fell after making 46 runs off 46 balls and Dwaine Pretorius fell on the next ball to a disruptive Wanindu Hasaranga. South Africans looked down and out but the momentum shifted when Kagiso Rabada hit Chameera for a six, then needing 16 runs off eight balls. The next two balls brought just one run. At that point, South Africa needed 15 off the last over.
With the team needing 14 runs off five balls, David Miller smoked a six out of the park and then followed it up with another slog, again hitting it out of the stadium. Saffas needed just two runs in three balls at that point. Then Miller took a single and a handy Rabada struck a four to seal the deal. Wanindu Hasaranga took a hattrick and finished with stellar figures of three wickets for 20 runs in his four, but the rest of the bowling couldn’t get it done in the end.
