Proteas open with T20I win over Sri Lanka

A superb team bowling effort from the Proteas helped them comfortably defend a par score as they claimed a 28-run win over Sri Lanka in the opening T20I of the three-match series at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday.

Having won the toss and batted first the visitors posted a par 163 for five in their 20 overs thanks to Aiden Markram’s 48 off 33 balls (1x4; 2x6) as well as 38 from Reeza Hendricks and 36 from Quinton de Kock, while Sri Lanka could only reply with 135 for six in their 20 despite a valiant, unbeaten 66 off 54 balls (5x4; 2x6) from opener Dinesh Chandimal.

In defence of the score, all six Proteas bowlers pitched in as five of them picked up a wicket, with captain Keshav Maharaj the pick of the lot with 1-19 from his four overs, but it was the impressive economy rate that kept the home side in check throughout the chase and didn’t allow them to get close.

"I've always wanted to play T20 cricket for South Africa and I've got my debut at 31, but I feel 21," said a delighted Maharaj, who was named captain after regular skipper Temba Bavuma was out injured after the first ODI last week.

"I'm just trying to do my bit and hopefully get a place in the T20 starting line-up (for the World Cup)."

Sri Lanka’s chase got off to a slow start and after Chandimal was dropped on 10 by Markram in the fourth over off Kagiso Rabada’s bowling, they moved on to 34 in the sixth over when Avishka Fernando (11) was run out by some smart fielding from Anrich Nortje who picked up the ball at mid-on and threw down the stumps at the bowler's end to send him on his way.

The first ball of the seventh over, the first in T20I for Maharaj, saw him pick up a wicket as he trapped Bhanuka Rajapaksa in front for a first-ball duck as Sri Lanka slipped to 34 for two.

Sri Lanka continued to struggle to get the ball away and only brought up their 50 in the 10th over when Chandimal hammered Tabraiz Shamsi for a six.

Charith Asalanka, however, was having a torrid time of it and his torturous innings finally came to an end in Shamsi’s next over as he top-edged him to Dwaine Pretorius in the deep to fall for six off 19 balls, with the score 68 for three.

Dashun Shanaka (16) tried to keep Chandimal company as they shared in a 27-run stand before Bjorn Fortuin yorked him at the end of the 15th over to reduce them to 95 for four.

Wanindu Hasaranga was caught for a second-ball duck off the bowling of Pretorius and Dhananjaya de Silva (1) was bowled by Nortje as they crashed to 104 for six at the start of the 17th over.

Chamika Karunaratne was dropped by Nortje on one three balls later, having smashed the ball straight back at the bowler with it hitting him in the chest and he took that chance to score an unbeaten 22 off 14 balls, but it was too little too late as Sri Lanka fell well short.

SOLID POSITION

In the first innings, two important partnerships helped the Proteas set their winning total.

An opening stand of 79 between De Kock and Hendricks was backed up by a 65 run fourth-wicket stand between Markram and David Miller that put them in a solid position at the halfway point.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, the Proteas got their innings off to a steady start as openers De Kock and Hendricks took nine off the first two overs.

Hendricks then kicked it up a notch in the third over bowled by Maheesh Theekshana as he powered the final three balls to the boundary with 14 coming off it.

With both batsmen looking in good form De Kock got in on the action, hammering De Silva for a six in the fourth over, while Hendricks slammed a maximum off Akila Dananjaya in the fifth as the run rate picked up.

A single from Hendricks off Theekshana in the seventh over brought up the Proteas' 50 and the openers extended their stand to 73 before Sri Lanka finally made the breakthrough in the 10th over as Hasaranga came into the attack.

SPOT OF BOTHER

First De Kock slog-swept Hasaranga straight to Charith Asalanka at deep midwicket to fall for 36 off 32 balls (3x4; 1x6), followed by Hendricks top-edging a sweep in Hasaranga’s next over to Theekshana at short fine leg to fall for 38 off 30 balls (3x4; 1x6) as the Proteas slipped to 79 for two in the 12th over.

Heinrich Klaasen (2) was trapped LBW by Theekshana in the next over with them in a spot of bother on 87 for three when Miller joined Markram at the crease.

The two new batsmen took two overs to get their eye in before they unleashed from the 15th as a six from Markram helped 13 come off Dananjaya’s over, with 10 following off the next from Hasaranga as Miller crunched a big maximum down the ground.

Two boundaries off the bat of Miller in the 17th bowled by Dushmantha Chameera then saw 13 come off it, before a boundary and six from Markram in Karunaratne’s 18th over had them pick up 17 off it as they cruised to 147 for three at the end of it.

Sri Lanka managed to pull things back in the final two overs of the innings as Shanaka bowled a superb penultimate over with just six coming off it and the important wicket of Markram.

Miller was finally caught for 26 off 15 balls (2x4; 1x6) in Chameera’s last over, while 10 came from it as the Proteas reached the innings break on 163 for five.

"We should adjust to conditions and win games," said Shanaka.

"We are trying to play the best team to win the series, but I would like to give more chances to players also."

The second match is on Sunday at the same venue.

SRI LANKA: Avishka Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka (capt), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya

SOUTH AFRICA: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj (capt), Kagiso Rabada, Bjorn Fortuin, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi