On face value, this might not have appeared to be one of the most keenly anticipated contests. With both South Africa and Sri Lanka having crashed out of the ICC World T20, there was not a lot at stake as the two teams looked to salvage some pride at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi.
However, the Proteas as well as the Lankans had to motivate themselves and give something to cheer for their supporters. Without much pressure, the stage was set for the players to express themselves.
South Africa’s bowling which had been an issue throughout the tournament prompted the team management to bring back Dale Steyn for one final sojourn. On the other hand, Dinesh Chandimal was tasked with leading the side as Angelo Mathews was ruled out due to an injury.
Despite a strong start, Sri Lanka collapsed terribly and could muster only 120. The South African batsmen ensured that they chased those runs professionally to finish with a consolation win. Let us take a look at the five stand-out moments from the interesting duel in chronological order.
#1 – Phangiso brings South Africa back
The opening duo of Dinesh Chandimal and Tillakaratne Dilshan played without any inhibition as the South African seamers came under attack. The seasoned Steyn copped some hammer from the exuberant Chandimal.
Realizing the need to change the pace, Aaron Phangiso was introduced into the equation. He started badly as Dilshan took a special liking to him by dispatching the first couple of deliveries for a four and a six.
However, the 32-year old did not panic and bounced back to dismiss Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne off consecutive balls. The Sri Lankan captain played for the turn to one which skidded through to castle the stumps.
Thirimanne followed suit as he was deceived while trying to execute the perfect cover drive. This time, the ball spun and sneaked through the huge bat-pad gap to strike timber again. Putting behind all the troubles surrounding his action, Phangiso showed his fortitude by helping the Proteas pull things back in the Power Play.
#2 – Steyn brings out the chainsaw
Dale Steyn has cemented himself as one of the greatest fast bowlers of the modern era. There was a lot of speculation regarding his troubles with injuries and whether he would consider an early retirement.
Adding to his woes, Steyn performed poorly with the ball and gave away too many runs with the new-ball. He seemed to go down the same route again as he conceded 20 from his first two overs.
However, he returned in the death overs and picked up the dangerous Thisara Perera who has a reputation for sending the ball into orbit. In its aftermath, the speedster unveiled his trademark chainsaw celebration which evoked a massive roar from the crowd.
With nerves throbbing in a pulsating manner, Steyn was all pumped up and did not hide his emotions. In spite of a rather disappointing final outing, it was time to celebrate his greatness as this could be the last ICC event that he participates in.
#3 – Sri Lankan batsmen falter again
Sri Lanka’s recent T20I record has been pretty woeful which is unlike their usually exciting brand of play in limited-overs cricket. One of the primary reasons behind their down-fall is due to a lackluster approach to batting.
Chandimal and Dilshan got the Lankans to a breezy start by targeting the South African bowlers with positive intent. However once Chandimal fell, the rest of the batsmen attempted extravagant strokes and lost their wickets.
Even as the experienced Dilshan was trying his best to guide the batting lineup, the likes of Chamara Kapugedara and Shehan Jayasuriya did not offer enough support at the other end.
Dasun Shanaka‘s brief cameo saved them the blushes and provided the bowlers with at least something to defend. In the end when they look back at an underwhelming campaign, the defending champions would have wanted a lot more from their batting unit.
#4 – Vandersay continues to impress
One of Sri Lanka’s fascinating traditions in cricket has been the productive supply line of mysterious spinners whom the opposition batsmen take a lot of time to decipher. From the iconic Muttiah Muralitharan to Rangana Herath, the island nation have enjoyed the success of their slower bowlers.
As Herath is advancing towards the final phase of his stellar career, there have been some question marks regarding the future of their spin bowling stocks. But, Jeffrey Vandersay’s rise to the big stage would have soothed many hearts.
It is always exhilarating to see a young leg-spinner running in and causing all sorts of problems to batting lineups. And, Vandersay showed his utility to the team with another solid outing.
With not much runs to play with, the 26-year old kept things tight as the South African batsmen were looking to get a move along. At a time when Sri Lankan cricket is enduring a tough transition phase, Vandersay showed that there was still light at the end of the tunnel.
#5 – The Proteas end on a positive note
The South Africans have always entered into almost every World Cup as one of the front-runners. Somehow, they contrive to lose their nerve at inopportune moments and fail to pass the knockout hurdle.
But in this World T20, they came in as one of the teams to look out for only to exit at the group stages itself. All of this would have been at the back of their minds when the South African batsmen were in the middle.
After Quinton de Kock’s brain fade early on in the innings, Hashim Amla steadied the South African ship by bringing his vast experience into play. He nudged the ball around and kept the scoreboard ticking.
With Faf du Plessis and later AB de Villiers for company, the 32-year old used his composure and helped the Proteas to a comfortable victory which at least enabled them to end on a winning note.
Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download CricRocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more! 🚀☄️
