South Africa tour of Sri Lanka 2021 News

Sri Lanka and South Africa will lock horns with each other in the second T20I of the three-match series in Colombo. The Proteas rode on some decent performance from their batting line up, especially the top-order in the first clash and posted a good total on the board and then restricted the opposition for 135/6 while chasing a target of 164 in 20 overs. An all-round performance from the side handed the visitors a 1-0 lead in the series. On the other side, the hosts would be looking to turn the tables for themselves in this second game. The home side began the chase in a decent manner in the first match but lost the way in the middle overs after witnessing a fall of wickets at regular intervals. The Sri Lankan batting unit now needs to capitalise on the start that it gets in order to get some fruitful results. Match Details: Sri Lanka vs South Africa, 2nd T20I Venue: R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Date & Time: September 12th, at 7:00 PM IST and Local Time Live Streaming: Sony Sports Network Pitch Report The track had something on offer for the batsmen in the first match. It has some good and consistent pace and bounce which can help the batters during the course. So, if you win the toss, bat first. Probable XI Sri Lanka: Avishka Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya South Africa: Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj (c), Kagiso Rabada, Bjorn Fortuin, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi Fantasy XI Quinton de Kock (C), Dinesh Chandimal, Aiden Markram, Reeza Hendricks, Dasun Shanaka, Avishka Fernando, Wanindu Hasaranga (VC), Dwaine Pretorius, Dushmantha Chameera, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi

The Sri Lankan team won the ODI series courtesy of an amazing win against South Africa in the third and final ODI. Their mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana was unreadable for the Proteas batters and ran through their defences. While the first two ODIs were still competitive, in the third one, South Africa seemed no match to the Sri Lankan spin. Only today, (September 09) the South African T20I squad was announced and Temba Bavuma, who has left Sri Lankan with a hand injury and whose replacement as a skipper has yet not been named by Cricket South Africa for the T20I series, will lead the team in the World Cup. It would be interesting whether Maharaj continues to lead South Africa in the T20Is too or whether somebody else is given the charge. The Sri Lankan team, which for the first-ever would have to undergo a qualifying round before they enter the main draw of the T20 World Cup. Thus this series against a top-quality South African side is ideal preparation for its first-round matches where they play European countries such as the Netherlands and Ireland and an African country Namibia, all of whom play similar traits of cricket as South Africa. Thus, Dasun Shanaka’s team would look to start on a great note for their World Cup campaign by winning this T20I series against the Proteas. It is expected that Kusal Perera would be back for Sri Lankan in place of Kamindu Mendis while Proteas would see either Quinton de Kock or Aiden Markram lead the side as Bjorn Fortuin would most likely come in for Keshav Maharaj while Anrich Nortje and David Miller will come in for George Linde and Wiaan Mulder respectively. Sri Lanka vs South Africa: Details Match Number- 01 T20I Date and Time: September 10, 2021, 07:30 pm IST and Local, 02:00 pm GMT Venue: R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Broadcast and Livestream: Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV Pitch Report If the pitch is to be taken on the face value of what happened n the third ODI, it could be a rank turner. However, it is guessed that this time the team would be slightly better but would still provide turn for spinners. With dew coming on late at night, more or less it would be a good wicket for a great match. Weather Forecast Like the ODIs, this game would also be under the threat of rain. Ther are predictions of light to heavy rainfall with thunderstorms for Friday, September 10 in Colombo. Probable XI Sri Lanka Kusal Perera (wk), Avishka Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama South Africa Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram, Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Bjorn Fortuin, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Anrich Nortje Dream XI Team Wicketkeepers Quinton de Kock Batters Rassie van der Dussen, Charith Asalanka, Kusal Perera, David Miller All-rounders Wanindu Hasaranga, Dhananjaya de Silva Bowlers Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana Vice-Captain Wanindu Hasaranga Captain Wanindu Hasaranga

Spinner Maheesh Theekshana played a vital role in Sri Lanka’s 78-run win in the third and deciding ODI against South Africa in Colombo on Tuesday. Chasing 204 in 50 overs, the Proteas were bundled out for 125 in 30 overs after Theekshana scalped a four-wicket haul while Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera picked up a couple of wickets apiece during the course. Captain Dasun Shanaka has put his weight behind Theekshana and said that he brought him into the XI for this game as the track would have something on offer for the spinners and it would be difficult for the South African batsmen to read Theekshana. "I actually brought Maheesh Theekshana into the team to play T20s," Shanaka said. "But I knew that on a track like this where it turns a lot, it's going to be hard for South Africa to read someone like Theekshana out of the hand. I took that risk as a captain and the selectors and coaches supported me. And that became a big advantage for us,” he added. Batting first, the home side managed to put 203/9 in 50 overs with Asalanka top-scoring with a 71-ball 47. For South Africa, it was stand-in captain Keshav Maharaj who scalped a three-for. The hosts clinched the ODI series 2-1 and the two teams will now lock horns with each other in a three-match T20I series beginning on September 10.

It was a splendid show of spin bowling by Sri Lanka as they not only defended 203 but bowled out their opposition South Africa for their second-lowest ODI total- 125 to win the third and final ODI of the three-match series by a whopping 78 runs and thereby lift the series 2-1. With this win, not only did Sri Lanka end a series win drought dating back to their last four series and March 2020, but also moved to fifth place in the ICC ODI Super League, the qualifying tournament for the 2023 ODI World Cup. Prior to the start of the series, they were not even in the top 10 of the table. Debutante Maheesh Theekshana was the hero with the ball for Sri Lanka, picking four crucial wickets which helped them build pressure and eventually win the game. The 21-year-old took a wicket with his very first ball in international cricket, becoming only the fourth Sri Lankan to do so after he got South African opener Janneman Malan caught in the slip by Dhananjaya de Silva. Soon, the right arm off-spinner or right arm all sorts as the commentators called him because of his ability to ball carrom ball as well as a top spinner, was all over the Proteas bowling lineup, getting the dangerman Heinrich Klaasen out to almost nip all chances of even a shy at the victory of for the visitors. Theekshana then came back once again to pick up the last two wickets in Kagiso Rabada and opposition captain Keshav Maharaj to send South Africa packing as well to bag the best figures for a Sri Lankan spinner on debut. He ended the match with figures of 4-37. The previous best for a Sri Lankan spinner was 3-15 by Wanindu Hasaranga on his debut against Zimbabwe in 2017. Dushmantha Chameera who scored a brilliant 29 off 39 balls to get Sri Lanka to 203 in the first innings started brilliantly with the ball as well, removing Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen to pave the way for the spinners. Earlier in the day, having won the toss, Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka decided to bat first. The decision was not at all validated by his batters as the team fell down to 121-6 in the 26th over itself. Had it not been for a patient Charith Asalanka who scored 47 and build up crucial partnerships with Chamika Karunaratne and Chameera, Sri Lanka might have been struggling to get past even 150. Maharaj picked up three wickets for the Proteas as their spinners bowled 40 off the 50 overs. In the end, they got to 203 courtesy 14 extras and some sensible batting by the tailenders who did not throw their wickets away. The two teams will now face each other in a three-match T20I series starting September 10 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

If this is told years down the line that a South African cricket team with Kagiso Rabada, Wiaan Mulder and Andile Phehlukwayo in it, decided that 40 of its mandatory fifty overs in an ODI would be bowled by four spinners against a spin playing team like Sri Lanka, it would be very hard to believe. It might also become a quiz question for generations to come. Believe it or not, but that did happen and it happened on September 07th, 2021 in the third ODI of the three-match series between Sri Lanka and South Africa played at the R Premadasa stadium in Colombo. In fact, of the four spinners involved, one was a part-time bowler Aiden Markram who ended his 10 over spell with figures of 1-41. Among the other three, skipper Keshav Maharaj was the most successful with figures of 3-38 from his 10 overs. George Linde and Tabraiz Shamsi picked one wicket each as Sri Lanka slothed its way to 203-9 in its allotted 50 overs after being reduced to 121-6 in the 27th over. While among the nine wickets, eight were taken by spinners, it wasn’t till the 49th over that a pace bowler got a wicket. Mulder’s second delivery of 49th over, after being hammered by Chameera went straight to Janneman Malan at square leg and that's how the first wicket by a fast bowler was registered in this innings. While this has been a feat that might not be repeated ever, it broke an earlier record of three South Africa spinners bowling 30 overs in a fifty over a game. It happened during a game against India in Jamshedpur in 2000, which is 21 years ago.

The umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Lyndon Hannibal had a hard day at the office at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo during the first innings of Sri Lanka vs South Africa third ODI. They made some messy decisions which were eventually overturned after the review was taken. In total, the umpires made five wrong decisions including not being able to pick a no-ball for extra men outside the circle. The first of the wrong decisions was the very first wicket when Avishka Fernando, hit on the pads at the middle and leg was give not out while the hawkeye after the review was taken confirmed that the ball would have comfortably hit middle and leg. This was on the bowling of South African skipper Keshav Maharaj. Some overs later, George Linde hit Dinesh Chandimal on the pads after the latter missed a straighter ball trying to sweep it. This was also given not out by the umpire before skipper Maharaj was convinced by Linde and wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen to take the review. The review showed that the ball pitched in line contrary to what the umpire thought that it was pitching outside leg and then it went on to hit the middle stump. Later on, Chamika Karunaratne was adjudged out leg before wicket off a Tabraiz Shamsi delivery that he had hit for sure and on review, it showed exactly that. In the 4oth over once again the umpire gave out to Dushmantha Chameera on the bowling off Shamsi while the ball was clearly doing too much and missing leg stumps, which was confirmed after Chameera took the review. Lastly, Charith Asalanka was declared out after he was caught down the square leg off the bowling of Linde, however, on Asalanka’s complaint, the no-ball for one extra fielder outside the 30 yeard circle was checked and it was confirmed, giving Sri Lanka and Asalanka a shy of relief. However, it was one more evidence of umpires’ mistake in this game.