Sri Lanka vs South Africa World T20: Lanka choke Proteas by 5 runs

Lasith Malinga and Nuwan Kulasekara held their nerve in the death overs with miserly fast bowling as Sri Lanka beat South Africa by five runs in their World Twenty20 opener at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Saturday.

South Africa had the upper hand chasing 166 for victory in their Group One super 10 match and needed 19 runs off the last two overs with five wickets in hand.

But Kulasekara gave away just four runs and picked up the wicket of Farhaan Behardien (five) to leave South Africa needing 15 runs off limited-overs specialist Malinga's final over.

Dale Steyn (zero) and the dangerous David Miller (19) were run out off the first two deliveries and although Imran Tahir (eight not out) managed a last-ball six, the chase had already gone out of South Africa's reach.

JP Duminy (39) top-scored for the Proteas, who ended on 160 for eight, and off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake was the most successful Sri Lankan bowler with figures of two for 22.

Opener Kusal Perera's assault gave Sri Lanka the tempo at the start of their innings and Angelo Mathews provided the late fireworks to lift them to 165 for seven after their captain Dinesh Chandimal had won the toss.

The diminutive Perera made clear his intentions with two fours and a six in three deliveries off Steyn's opening over and brought up his fifty off just 29 balls.

He made with 61 off 40 balls, including six fours and three sixes, before falling to leg-spinner Tahir, who stemmed the run flow and picked up three wickets for 26 runs.

Mathews was bowled by Steyn in the final over of the Sri Lanka innings but not before the Test and 50-over captain had compiled 43 off 32 balls.

SOUTH AFRICA INNINGS

Sri Lanka held their nerve with excellent bowling from Kulasekera and Malinga in the death to deny South Africa and win by five runs to open their campaign. Malinga finished with figures of 4-0-29-1 and Kulasekera 3-0-23-1.

Chasing a stiff target target of 166, South Africa were given a superb start by Quinton de Kock who smashed four boundaries and six during his 18-ball cameo of 25.

Amla (23) struggled while Duminy (39) kept them in the hunt with a breezy knock hitting three boundaries and two sixes.

AB de Villiers (24) and Albie Morkel (12) kept their hopes alive but the task was too much in the end for the Proteas with Miller (19) being one of two run out victims in the final over.

Senanayake claimed two for 22 while Mathews and Mendis also struck crucial blows to choke South Africa.

Tahir smashes a six off the final ball from Malinga but it has come late for South Africa who finished on 160-8 falling short by five runs.

Miller is run out attempting a second by a superb return from Thisara. SA 152-8 in 19.2 overs.

David Miller run out 19 (16b 1x4 0x6)

Steyn is run out after being sent back with Malinga breaking the bails despite a clumsy effort. SA 151-7 in 19.1 overs.

Dale Steyn run out 0 (2b 0x4 0x6)

Kulasekera bowls an excellent over and South Africa need 15 from the last over to be bowled by Malinga with Miller on strike.

South Africa lose their sixth wicket as Behardien holes out to Mahela in the deep. SA 148-6 in 18.2 overs.

Farhaan Behardien c Jayawardene b Kulasekara 5 (4b 0x4 0x6)  

Kulasekera to bowl the penultimate over with Proteas needing 19 to win.

Miller slams Malinga through the offside for a superbly timed boundary. SA 146-5 in 18 overs.

South Africa get bonus runs after surviving a run out attempt. SA 137-5 in 17 overs.

Albie blasts consecutive sixes off Mendis but holes out to Chandimal in the boundary going for another big shot. SA 133-5 in 16.4 overs.

Albie Morkel c Chandimal b Mendis 12 (5m 4b 0x4 2x6)

South Africa need 46 from 24 balls. SA 120-4 in 16 overs.

Senanayake completes his spell with figures of 4-0-22-2.

Dilshan takes a good catch on the boundary as Duminy tries to sweep Senanayake out of the ground. SA 119-4 in 15.4 overs.

JP Duminy c Dilshan b Senanayake 39 (30b 3x4 2x6)

South Africa need 51 off the last five overs with Duminy and Miller in the middle.SL 115-3 in 15 overs.

AB de Villiers blasts Mathews past midoff for a boundary but is caught behind next ball deceived by a slower delivery. SA 110-3 in 14 overs.

AB de Villiers c Sangakkara b Mathews 24 (16b 3x4 0x6)

Malinga returns to the attack but de Villiers smashes a full toss to the square leg boundary. SA 103-2 in 13 overs.

AB de Villiers attacks Mendis hitting him inside out for a boundary. SA 94-2 in 12 overs.

Senanayake strikes as Amla tries to loft him over long off for another boundary only to slice it to short cover. SA 82-3 in 10.5 overs.

Hashim Amla c Dilshan b Senanayake 23 (26b 2x4 0x6)

Fifty partnership between Amla and Duminy comes in 38 balls.

Mendis comes into the attack but there is not stopping Duminy who clobbers a boundary and smashes him over long on off consecutive balls. SA 75-1 in 10 overs.

Thisara goes for 16 as Duminy cracks a couple of boundaries and scoops him over the keeper for an extraordinary six. SA 63-1 in 9 overs.

Amla survives a confident caught behind appeal from Sangakkara as Thisara bowls a good first over. SA 42-1 in 7 overs.

Amla goes across and flicks Mathews over short fine leg for a boundary as South Africa end the Powerplay overs on 40-1.

Malinga strikes with his third delivery knocking back the stumps of the dangerous looking Quinton. SA 32-1 in 4.3 overs.

Quinton de Kock b Malinga 25 (18b 4x4 1x6)

Spin introduced as Senanayake comes into the attack but Quinton cracks him through the covers for a boundary aided by a misfield. SA 31-0 in 4 overs.

Quinton attacks Kulasekera hitting him through the line for a boundary, whipping him over backward square leg for the first six of the innings and driving through the covers off consecutive balls. SL 26-0 in 3 overs.

Quinton gets cracking with a scorching boundary off Mathews. SA 11-0 in 2 overs.

Sri Lanka are holding back Malinga with Mathews being handed the new ball from the other end.

South Africa get four in the first over from Kulasekera as they begin chasing 166 for victory.

SRI LANKA INNINGS

Sri Lanka powered by a brilliant half century from Kusal Perera (61) made a competitive 165-7 after electing to bat first.

Perera smashed six boundaries and three sixes off just 40 balls to give Sri Lanka a flying start.

Sri Lanka lost Dilshan for a golden duck and lost wickets at regular interval in the middle of the innings.

Sangakkara shared in a crucial 41-run stand for the third wicket with Kusal but Mathews held the innings together with a composed knock of 43 off 32 balls with three boundaries and a six.

Leg spinner Imran Tahir was the pick of the bowlers claiming three for 26 while Steyn (2-37) and Morne Morkel (2-31) also struck crucial blows.

Kulasekera gets a streaky boundary off the final delivery from Steyn to finish on 165-7 in 20 overs.

Steyn removes Mathews in the final over. SL 160-7 in 19.3 overs.

Angelo Mathews b Steyn 43 (32b 3x4 1x6)

Sri Lanka are 156-6 after 19 overs with Mathews and Kulasekera in the middle.

Morne strikes castling Thisara who swings wildly and misses. SL 152-6 in 18.3 overs.

Thisara Perera b M Morkel 8 (6b 1x4 0x6)

Steyn returns for his final spell but is blasted for a boundary by Thisara while Mathews top edges a short ball over the keeper for another boundary. SL 148-5 in 18 overs.

Tahir completes an excellent spell with figure of 4-0-26-3. SL 138-5 in 17 overs.

Mathews smashes Tahir back over his head for a six but the leg spinner removes Chandimal. SL 137-5 in 16.5 overs.

Dinesh Chandimal st de Kock b Imran Tahir 12 (9b 1x4 0x6)

Chandimal paddle sweeps Albie for a boundary to backward square leg. SL 128-4 in 16 overs.

Mathews slices Morne to the third man fence as Sri Lanka are perfectly placed to step up the ante in the last five overs. SL 117-4 in 15 overs.

Tahir strikes again removing the dangerous Kusal who miscues straight to AB in the deep. SL 106-4 in 13.3 overs.

Kusal Perera c de Villiers b Imran Tahir 61 (40b 6x4 3x6)

Tsotsobe complete his spell with superb figures of 4-0-31-0. SL 104-3 in 13 overs.

Kusal cracks Tsotsobe through the covers for a boundary to bring up the 100 of the innings.

Mathews gets into the act clubbing Tahir down the ground for a boundary. SL 93-3 in 12 overs.

Steyn bowls an excellent comeback over with Sangakkara managing a single after five balls. SL 85-3 in 11 overs.

Sri Lanka are 84-3 at the halfway stage and Steyn is back into the attack as South Africa look for wickets.

Tahir strikes with his fifth delivery as Sangakkara splices to short third man. SL 83-3 in 9.5 overs.

Kumar Sangakkara c Tsotsobe b Imran Tahir 14 (18b 1x4 0x6)

Kusal completes his half century off 29 balls with a single. SL 80-2 in 9 overs.

Kusal survives after being sent back and looks winded after scrambling back.

Kusal paddles Duminy behind square leg for another boundary.

Sangakkara lofts the first ball from Albie over midoff for a boundary while Kusal tickles one to the fine leg fence. SL 70-2 in 8 overs.

Spin introduced as Duminy comes into the attack in the seventh over. SL 57-2 in 7 overs.

Kusal rocks back and clobbers Tsotsobe for his third six to bring up the 50 of the innings at the end of the Powerplay overs. SL 51-2 in 6 overs.

Two left handers in the middle now as Sangakkara joins Kusal. SL 43-2 in 5 overs.

Mahela jumps out and hammers Morkel for a boundary inside out but the bowler has the last laugh when he miscues to next one to midon. SL 42-2 in 4.2 overs.

Mahela Jayawardene c Steyn b M Morkel 9 (9b 1x4 0x6)

Kusal is on song getting another boundary with a wristy flick shot off Tsotsobe which almost went for a six to square leg. SL 38-1 in 4 overs.

There is no stopping Kusal who flicks Morkel over square leg for his second six. SL 30-1 in 3 overs.

Morne Morkel has replaced Steyn who went for 17 despite taking a wicket in the first over.

Veteran Mahela has strode into the middle at the fall of Dilshan who went without scoring. SL 21-1 in 2 overs.

Dilshan is out for a golden duck beaten for pace with a ball that nipped back in as he tried to flick it. SL 17-1 in 1 over.

Tillakaratne Dilshan b Steyn 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

Steyn is spot on first up but is crashed through the offside for consecutive boundaries before whacking the South Africa fast bowler for the first six of the match with his trademark pick up shot.

It's game on after the national anthems and the countdown as Steyn bowls to Kusal.

AB de Villiers has come out for the toss which is won by Sri Lanka who have no hesitation in batting first in their opening Super 10 Group 1 clash against South Africa in Chittagong.

South Africa suffer a major before a ball is bowled with skipper Faf du Plessis being ruled out.

Shaun Pollock predicts a pacy wicket and Dale Steyn has been declared fit giving South Africa a boost.

PLAYING XI

South Africa: Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, AB de Villiers, David Miller, Farhaan Behardien, Albie Morkel, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Lonwabe Tsotsobe, Imran Tahir

Sri Lanka: Kusal Perera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Sachithra Senanayake, Ajantha Mendis, Lasith Malinga

PREVIEW

Sri Lanka open their World Twenty20 campaign against South Africa at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Saturday which stages a double-header featuring England and New Zealand in the day-night clash.

Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka are buoyed by their recent successes in Bangladesh and skipper Dinesh Chandimal is already eyeing a place in the semifinals.

Chandimal feels the fact that Sri Lanka are placed in a group with teams that don’t play spinners will work to their advantage.

“The way our spinners bowled in the Asia Cup and (the fact that) the pitches will assist them (means) we have a good chance in the tournament,” Chandimal said ahead of his side’s opening game against South Africa.

“We are in a group with teams that are not comfortable at playing spin, so we have a good chance. However, we will take it match by match.”

“Our main focus is to get to the semi-finals. From there onwards we will have to plan our strategies differently.”

With the likes of Ajanta Mendis, Rangana Herath and Sachithra Senanayake in their armoury, the islanders have the right mix of mystery, variety and accuracy when it comes to spin bowling.

The only concern, if at all, will be the form of dashing opener Tillakaratne Dilshan, who is returning after an injury lay-off.

The news for South Africa isn’t good ahead of their tournament opener.

Dale Steyn and Faf du Plessis are both struggling with hamstring injuries. The Proteas have made do without Steyn in T20s before, but losing skipper Du Plessis will add to their struggles.

AB de Villiers will most likely take over captaincy duties while Farhaan Behardien is likely to enter stage left as batting replacement.

The islanders lost one of their two warm-up matches ahead of the tournament, coming up 33 runs short against the West Indies despite having a number of their star players in the side, but it shouldn’t be too much of a concern for a side so familiar with subcontinental conditions.

South Africa won both their warm-ups, despite a poor showing back home against Australia just a few weeks ago.

Meanwhile, New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum will not be underestimating England when the sides open their World Twenty20 campaigns in Chittagong on Saturday.

England are unfancied outsiders to regain the title they won in 2010, with a string of poor results behind them and a squad that appears well short of its best form.

McCullum does not deny that the Black Caps' Group One rivals are enduring a tough spell, but is wary of how quickly that can change in the manic world of T20 cricket.

"The tour of Australia was tough for England this winter, and the West Indies too, but in this form of the game things can turn so quickly," he said.

Since New Zealand last played England, they have unearthed a couple of match-winning newcomers and McCullum sounded a note of cautious optimism about what Jimmy Neesham and Corey Anderson can do on Saturday - and in the tournament as a whole.

Anderson scored the quickest ODI hundred in history, in just 36 balls, against West Indies on New Year's Day, while Neesham has proved a talented player across the formats since his introduction.

"Corey is an incredible talent," said McCullum. "That century against West Indies was sublime hitting from ball one. He's one of those guys that when he gets himself in he can win a game pretty quickly. Jimmy is another one who has come in and done great things for us. They haven't played a great deal of cricket on the world stage or against teams like England but so that challenge is there for them."

Stuart Broad has told his England side a winning start at the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh is "non-negotiable".

Few England cricket teams have arrived at a global tournament with expectation around them so low, a combination of their woeful winter in all formats and the controversial absence of their likeliest T20 match-winner, Kevin Pietersen.

The skipper, who expects to be fit despite battling an ongoing tendonitis issue in his right knee, said: "I think it's well documented that, as an England side, we tend not to start overly well. That's something that we've mentioned within the changing room, but it's a non-negotiable here."

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