South Africa v Sri Lanka, 2016-17
Wisden's review of the second Twenty20 International, South Africa v Sri Lanka, 2016-17
15-Apr-2017
At Johannesburg, January 22, 2017. Sri Lanka won by three wickets. Toss: South Africa. Twenty20 international debut: P. A. D. L. R. Sandakan.
After more than a month on tour without a win, Sri Lanka finally broke their duck. Lakshan Sandakan, a wispy 5ft 6in left-arm wrist-spinner, and Isuru Udana, an intense left-arm seamer with fine control of his changes of pace, took seven wickets between them to dismiss South Africa for their lowest Twenty20 score against Sri Lanka. No one reached 30, and no partnership lasted six overs. Sandakan became the first Sri Lankan to claim a wicket with his first delivery in Twenty20 internationals when his chinaman had Mangaliso Mosehle caught behind. A pitch more Wankhede than Wanderers played its part in the South Africans' travails, but the bigger truth was that, for once, the Sri Lankans showed some fight. Mathews then batted through five partnerships for his unbeaten 54, hammering Jon-Jon Smuts, a hapless off-spinner, for two sixes in three balls to win the match, after Sri Lanka's seventh wicket had fallen with nine still required. But victory came at a price: Mathews twisted an ankle, ending his tour. After trapping Gunaratne, Imran Tahir revealed his T-shirt depicting Junaid Jamshed, a Pakistani celebrity who had died in a plane crash the previous month; Tahir earned a reprimand from the ICC.
Man of the Match: A. D. Mathews.
After more than a month on tour without a win, Sri Lanka finally broke their duck. Lakshan Sandakan, a wispy 5ft 6in left-arm wrist-spinner, and Isuru Udana, an intense left-arm seamer with fine control of his changes of pace, took seven wickets between them to dismiss South Africa for their lowest Twenty20 score against Sri Lanka. No one reached 30, and no partnership lasted six overs. Sandakan became the first Sri Lankan to claim a wicket with his first delivery in Twenty20 internationals when his chinaman had Mangaliso Mosehle caught behind. A pitch more Wankhede than Wanderers played its part in the South Africans' travails, but the bigger truth was that, for once, the Sri Lankans showed some fight. Mathews then batted through five partnerships for his unbeaten 54, hammering Jon-Jon Smuts, a hapless off-spinner, for two sixes in three balls to win the match, after Sri Lanka's seventh wicket had fallen with nine still required. But victory came at a price: Mathews twisted an ankle, ending his tour. After trapping Gunaratne, Imran Tahir revealed his T-shirt depicting Junaid Jamshed, a Pakistani celebrity who had died in a plane crash the previous month; Tahir earned a reprimand from the ICC.
Man of the Match: A. D. Mathews.