Hyderabad: The South Africans administered a dose of their medicine to Sri Lanka, choking them to clinch the first quarter final encounter by 9 wickets on Wednesday in Sydney.
In reply to the shocking 133 posted by the Sri Lankans, the South Africans opened their account with Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock.
The first couple of overs were played out very cautiously, but as soon as the 4th over began, the Proteas wanted to finish things off in a rush and raced away to 32/0 in 5 overs. However, Amla was taken by Malinga for 16 in the 7th over, bringing Faf du Plessis into the middle.
In 15 overs, the South Africans could already see their semi-final ticket. At 110/1 at the end of 15, all South Africa needed was 24 runs from 35 overs, at 0.68 runs an over, with 9 wickets in hand. The deal was sealed in 18 overs, with de Kock scoring 78 and du Plessis hitting 21.
Earlier, Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first. There was a slight change in the batting order, as Dilshan and Kusal Parera walked out to open the Sri Lankan innings. Steyn and Abbott began the proceedings for the Proteas, and Abbott struck in the second over, removing Parera for 3.
Sangakkara was the new man in, but just as he began settling, Dilshan was taken for 0 in the 5th over, bringing Thirimanne in.
Together, the duo took the score to 35/2 in 10 overs. They played very cautiously, in a bid to avoid more damage, building a patient 50-run partnership. Sangakkara was uncharacteristically quiet, leaving the deliveries alone, pleasing the crowd with a rare boundary.
But then, the South Africans bounced back yet again, this time Imran Tahir scalped the prized wicket of Thirimanne for 41 in the 20th over. Jayawardene was the new man in and in 20 overs the Sri Lankan scoreboard read 72/3.
Post the 20th over, the Sri Lankans were struggling. Their only solace was the fact that they had two very dependable batsmen on the crease. That solace didn’t last long as Jayawardene departed for 4, removed by Imran Tahir in the 24th over, to bring in Mathews. At the end of the 25th over, the Sri Lankans were looking in a lot of trouble at 87/4.
They pushed it to 105/4 at the completion of 30 overs. But Mathews fell in the 33rd over for 19, dismissed by Duminy, Parera fell in the next over, taken by tahir for 0 and the Sri Lankans were now knee deep in crisis.
Sangakkara was fighting a lone battle on the other end, but the wickets kept tumbling on the other side. Duminy plotted a double blow for the Proteas, removing Kulasekara and Kaushal in the 35th over, rocking the Sri Lankan ship at 116/8 in 35 overs.
Sangakkara was the next man to depart, the South Africans getting their man for 45, Morkel pitching in this time. At 36.2 overs, when it started raining, the Sri Lankans were at 127/9. As play resumed, Malinga was taken by Imran Tahir for 3, ending the Lankan innings at 133.