HAMBANTOTA, Sri Lanka, Sept 22 (Reuters) – A clinical performance from South Africa saw them beat Sri Lanka by 32 runs in a rain-curtailed Group C match of the Twenty20 World Cup at Hambantota on Saturday.
Heavy rain reduced the contest to seven overs a side and South Africa, put in to bat first, ran up an impressive total of 78 for four wickets.
Skipper AB de Villiers played a great hand to score 30 off just 13 balls with two sixes and a four and JP Duminy provided the finishing touches with a four and a six off the last two deliveries of the innings.
The total proved to be a steep ask for Sri Lanka and their chase was made even more difficult when flamboyant opener Tillakaratne Dilshan was run out without facing a ball.
The South African bowlers bowled a tight line, and helped by some sharp fielding, restricted Sri Lanka to 46 for five wickets as none of the hosts’ batsmen were able to get a start.
Dale Steyn was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets for 10 runs off his two overs. Dilshan Munaweera and Kumar Sangakkara top-scored for the hosts with 13 runs each.
Both teams have qualified to play in the Super Eight stage of the tournament. (Editing by Sudipto Ganguly)
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