T20 World Cup: Miller and Rabada help South Africa prevail over Sri Lanka

Lower-order heroics from David Miller (23 not out off 13 balls) and Kagiso Rabada (13 not out off 7 balls) helped South Africa prevail over Sri Lanka by four wickets in a thrilling Group 1 match of Super 12 stage in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium here on Saturday.

Chasing 143, South Africa got off to a poor start but scrambled to 146/6 in 19.5 overs thanks to the good work by Miller and Rabada.

South Africa lost openers Reeza Hendricks and Quinton de Kock in the fourth over by Dushmantha Chameera While Hendricks was rapped on the back pad, de Kock got a top edge on the pull, pouched by the bowler himself.

There was some frantic running between the wickets when captain Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen were at the crease. One of those instances resulted in a mix-up between the batters, culminating in the run-out of van der Dussen in the eighth over as Dasun Shanaka hit the stumps directly at non-strikers end.


Bavuma had a 47-run partnership off 42 balls with Aiden Markram before Wanindu Hasaranga struck with the second hat-trick of the tournament. Hasaranga started off by clean bowling Markram with a googly in the 15th over. After a quiet over from Maheesh Theekshana, Bavuma whacked a gigantic six off Chameera.

But Hasaranga struck wickets on the first two balls of the innings to complete his hat-trick. Bavuma picked out deep mid-wicket, who leapt in the air to take the catch. On the very next ball, Dwaine Pretorius slogged straight to long-on.

Kagiso Rabada hit Chameera for a six over long-off in the 19th over yielding ten runs. With 15 needed off the final over, David Miller smacked Lahiru Kumara for back-to-back sixes before Rabada finished off in style with an edge past the keeper.


Brief scores: Sri Lanka 142 all out in 20 overs (Pathum Nissanka 72, Charith Asalanka 21, Tabraiz Shamsi 3/17, Dwaine Pretorius 3/17) lost to South Africa 146/6 in 19.5 overs (Temba Bavuma 46, David Miller 23 not out, Wanindu Hasaranga 3/20, Dushmantha Chameera 2/27) by four wickets - IANS