ICC World Cup 2015, Highlights: South Africa Break Knockout Jinx, Storm Into Semis
South Africa beat Sri Lanka for their first-ever World Cup knockout win to advance to semis. Catch all the highlights of the match here.
Quinton de Kock's 78 sends Sri Lanka packing from World Cup 2015. Catch all the highlights of the match here: (Scorecard)
(All times in IST)
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14.54: Angelo Mathews: We had to get 250 to give our bowlers a chance. Maybe the nerves, we didn't go for our shots. This is the worst performance that we've had in the World Cup and it came in the quarter-final. We know SA have a really good attack but we were not there from ball one. It's disappointing not to make it a memorable one for Sanga and Mahela, to thank them for their services for 16-17 years. The best thing would have been to get to the final but unfortunately that hasn't happened.
14.49: AB de Villiers: I didn't have to say much, we were very motivated for this game. The guys were in a really good space and they rocked up mentally. I was going to bat first but I would have backed the batters to do a good job out there. It was incredible the job the bowlers did up front. De Kock has been going through a tough time, you go through patches in your career, the coaches kept backing him, for him to pull it off with a really special knock and a couple of catches. Spinners came in at a crucial stage, we kept them back until the 14-15th over, so for the two of them to come on against a subcontinental team at a crucial stage was really impressive. I'm quietly confident, I like to believe in big things. I truly believe we're going to go all the way. For now we're just going to enjoy a beer and think about what's to come.
14.45: Man-of-the-match Imran Tahir: I can't complain, thanks for the support from back home and the people here. I've been thinking about this game and I'm really glad. I've got everything from South Africa, so I always say I have to give everything back. I just try to do my role, it's an absolute honour and I'm loving it. There's some good and great players [in the team], just playing with them is a dream come true for me. It's a great feeling and motivates me every day. [Semi-final against NZ] We've been working really hard for this, it will depend how we play on the day.
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14.25: This game also brings down the curtains on the glorious ODI careers of two of finest batsmen to have graced the game from Sri Lanka - Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.
14.23: It's all over! South Africa have advanced to the semis with a nine-wicket win over Sri Lanka in quarters.
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14.05: FIFTY for Quinton de Kock. Fifth of his ODI career. What a time to turn his woeful form around. He gets his fifty off 39 balls. South Africa 96/1 (13 overs), need 38 off 37 overs.
13.45: Play resumes and Quinton de Kock is taking on the Lanka bowlers. He moves into the 40s. South Africa 71/1 (10.2 overs)
13.32: Play resumes after dinner break. South Africa 40/1 (6.4 overs) need just 94 more off 43.2 overs to advance to semis.
12.54: OUT! Hashim Amla falls at the stroke of dinner break. He chases a short and wide delivery from Lasith Malinga and cuts it hard. Nuwan Kulasekara covers good ground to take a wonderful, low catch at deep third man. The umpires check for a no-ball but Amla has to walk back. It was a very close call but the umpires gave Malinga the benefit of doubt. South Africa 40/1 (6.4 overs)
12.45: Brisk start from Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock here. South Africa 32/0 in 5 overs in their small chase of 134 vs Sri Lanka.
12.32: STAT ALERT: South Africa have never lost while chasing a total under 150.
12.29: Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock begin South Africa's run chase vs Sri Lanka. The Proteas have never won a World Cup knockout fixture.
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12.20: The two South African spinners have picked up 7/55 between them. Can the batsmen do well here?
Job well done by #SA in the field. Now can it chase down 134 to win its first CWC knockout game ever? #SLvSA https://t.co/IDDDFBxSnn
- Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) March 18, 2015
12.16: It's all over! Sri Lanka are bowled out for 133. Imran Tahir has his fourth wicket. What a dismal show by the Angelo Mathews-led side. Lasith Malinga is the last man to fall, hitting it straight to David Miller at covers. Tahir bags his fourth to finish on 4/26 while Duminy recorded figures of 3/29. Unless South Africa suffer a massive collapse, they're on course for their first knockout stage win in a World Cup.
12.03: The rain is gone, the sun is out and play resumes! Sri Lanka 127/9 in 36.2 overs vs South Africa.
11.43: It's pouring down! Just as Sangakkara was walking off rain began to come down in Sydney. The players are off the field with Sri Lanka on `127/9 (36.2 overs) in the first quarter-final.
11.40: Sangakkara is gone! South Africa's elation knows no bounds. The left-hander goes after a short and wide delivery but his cut goes straight to David Miller at deep third man. Sri Lanka 127/9 (36.2 overs)
11.34: It's a hat-trick for JP Duminy! He has dismissed Kulasekara and debutant T Kaushal off first two deliveries of the 35th over. He had gotten rid of Mathews in the last ball of his previous over. A faint nick off Kulasekara's bat is taken by De Kock but the umpire was unmoved. Kulasekara, however, decided to walk. Debutant T Kaushal did not disturb the scorers as he was trapped LBW for a first-ball duck. Sri Lanka 116/8 (34.2 overs)
11.27: Another one goes! Thisara Perera is gone for a duck, giving Imran Tahir his third wicket of the game. The ball wasn't short enough for Perera to drive it through covers off the backfoot but the left-hander went for it. An outside edge went straight to Rilee Rossouw at first slip. Sri Lanka 115/6 in 33.4 overs
11.22: OUT! Mathews is gone! That's a poor effort from the Sri Lankan skipper. After digging in and trying to rescue his side, he goes for an audacious shot and perishes. JP Duminy flights one outside the off-stump and Mathews comes down the track and flicks it uppishly and fails to beat Faf du Plessis at mid wicket.
11.10: Sri Lanka are crawling along here, reach 105/4 in 30 overs. Sangakkara (29) and Mathews (14) are being tested thoroughly by the South African bowlers.
10.58: 100 up for Sri Lanka in 28.1 overs. Sangakkara (26), Mathews (12). This is Sri Lanka's slowest team hundred in World Cup 2015.
10.57: Here's an interesting bit of Jayawardene stat.
22.4 - M Jayawardene's average vs SA (22.4) is the lowest of any of his averages against the 10 teams he's faced 5+ times. Predictable.
- OptaJim (@OptaJim) March 18, 2015
10.55: FOUR! Mathews cuts loose vs Tahir. A full ball on the leg side is flicked over mid-wicket for a four. Sri Lanka 98/4 in 27.3 overs.
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 10.46: Only a fifth successive hundred from Sangakkara can save Sri Lanka here.
10.44: Jayawardene is gone! Tahir has struck again. He bowls a short delivery but Jayawardene pulls it straight to short mid wicket. Sri Lanka in all sorts of trouble. 81/4 (23.1 overs)
10.39: South Africa lose their review. Jayawardene is struck on the pads off a Tahir delivery and the spinner lets out a loud shout. Umpire Nigel Llong says no and after a bit of consideration AB de Villiers takes the review. Replays show Jayawardene was hit outside the line of off-stump and the Sri Lanka batsman survives on umpire's call.
10.35: VVS Laxman has an interesting observation about Imran Tahir.
Love the way Imran Tahir celebrates after taking a wkt. Covers almost half the ground- difficult for his mates to chase him:) #CWC2015
- VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) March 18, 2015
10.32: That wicket brings Sangakkara and Jayawardene together in the middle. Will this be the last time the two bat together?
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10.30: BIG WICKET! Lahiru Thirimanne has thrown away a good start. Imran Tahir bowls a straighter one and Thirimanne looks to push at it but mistimes. The ball lobs up off the bat and Tahir takes a simple catch. Sri Lanka 69/3 (19.1) vs South Africa
10.21: Sri Lanka are being made to work really hard for runs but will the lack of a 5th specialist bowler in the South Africa line-up hurt the Proteas?
SA don't have a fifth specialist bowler because they want to play 7 batsmen. Duminy is slotted at 7 in batting order.
- Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) March 18, 2015
10.16: At 6 off 41 balls, Sangakkara finally gets a move on. He takes on Imran Tahir, slog sweeps him for a four behind square. Sri Lanka 55/2 (16 overs)
10.14: While Sri Lanka toil hard vs South Africa, the unfancied Bangladesh get ready for the Indian challenge.
While #SL battle in Sydney, #BAN readies itself for tomorrow's #INDvBAN QF clash at @MCG! https://t.co/K3qpB7A0ph
- Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) March 18, 2015
10.13: South Africa are doing well to put pressure on the Lankans from the very beginning. Sri Lanka crawl to 50/2 in 15 overs with Lahiru Thirimanne (32) and Kumar Sangakkara (6) in the middle.
10.00: RECORD ALERT: Sangakkara is now only the second batsman after Sachin Tendulkar to score 500-plus runs in a World Cup. Sri Lanka 42/2 in 12 overs.
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09.52: VVS Laxman is impressed by South Africa's start here.
Good start from SA. They are looking to take wickets which shows they are looking to be positive. #CWC2015
- VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) March 18, 2015
09.47: Thirimanne is looking very confident here. He takes on Steyn and hits him over the in-field on the off-side. He has five fours in his knock of 27 so far. Sri Lanka 35/2 in 10 overs
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09.44: Adam Gilchrist has made an interesting prediction for the game.
5 in a row written all over it @KumarSanga2 #SLvSA
- Adam Gilchrist (@gilly381) March 18, 2015
09.36: Change of ends for Steyn. There is a hint of inswing for him. Sangakkara is happy to play out a maiden. Sri Lanka 18/2 (8 overs)
09.32: Fabulous start from the South African pacers here. They've kept Sangakkara on his back foot. Lahiru Thirimanne walks in and hits two fours off Abbott to ease some pressure. Sri Lanka 16/2 (6 overs)
09.26: Another wicket! Tillakaratne Dilshan has edged a Steyn delivery and Faf du Plessis takes a very good low catch at second slip. Sri Lanka 4/2 (4.1 overs)
09.20: That wicket has added a spring to Abbott's steps. He is testing Sangakkara outside the off-stump. Sri Lanka 4/1 (4 overs)
09.14: Over at MCG, MS Dhoni & Co. have been training hard for their quarters clash vs Bangladesh on Friday.
At the MCG today India has been preparing for tomorrow's showdown with Bangladesh https://t.co/RFrWIDleZV
- Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) March 18, 2015
09.12: The leading run-scorer of the World Cup 2015 walks out to bat. Can South Africa get him early?
0910: Kyle Abbott strikes early! Kushal Perera is gone for 3. Abbott was probing outside the off-stump and Perera has been trying to cut loose for a while. The wicket delivery was much straighter, squaring up Perera and an outside was very well taken behind the stumps by De Kock. Sri Lanka 3/1 (1.4 overs)
08.45: A lot of eyes on AB de Villiers. Can he lead South Africa to their first-ever World Cup knockout fixture win?
Playing for something much bigger than ourselves today. Representing millions! Playing for you today #ProteaFire
- AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) March 18, 2015
0840: Full teams:
South Africa: Amla, de Kock, du Plessis, Rossouw, de Villiers, Miller, Duminy, Steyn, Abbott, Morkel and Tahir.
Sri Lanka: Perera, Dilshan, Sangakkara, Jayawardene, Mathews, Thirimanne, Perera, Kulasekara, Kaushal, Chameera and Malinga.
0830: Toss! Sri Lanka opt to bat against South Africa. Rangana Herath is not fit and 'mystery spinner' Kaushal will make his debut. For the Proteas, Faf returns while Kyle Abbott replaces Vernon Philander.
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The Proteas have never won a World Cup knockout match since their tournament debut in 1992, with a series of near-misses leaving them with the unwanted tag of "chokers". South Africa skipper AB de Villiers wants to lead by example.
"We can't focus on what happened back in the day. We can just work with what we've got right now. I'm the captain, and I want to lead by example. And I believe the guys will follow," de Villiers said. (Read more)
Some have tried to bill the match as a contest between de Villiers and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, who comes into the match having scored a record four successive one-day international hundreds.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews hopes his side can feed off yet more passionate support from their fans. When Sri Lanka played tournament co-hosts Australia at the SCG during the pool stages, the vast number of supporters from local expatriate communities, as well as travelling fans, generated so much noise and colour it made the match seem like a home game for the Islanders.
Sri Lanka remain uncertain over the fitness of Rangana Herath, who suffered a finger injury against England, with the bowler's left-arm spin likely to be effective on a SCG pitch renowned for taking turn.
KEY PLAYERS
AB de Villiers' last innings at the SCG was a staggering 162 not out which included the quickest 150 in an ODI, off just 64 balls, against the West Indies in a pool match.
Kumar Sangakkara has been in sensational form with the bat at this World Cup becoming the first man to score hundreds in four successive ODIs with innings of 105 not out against Bangladesh, 117 not out against England, 104 against Australia and 124 against Scotland.
STATS
Seven of the last eight One Day Internationals between these teams have been won by the team that batted first. All eight of these matches were played in Sri Lanka.
The last 16 ODIs between South Africa and Sri Lanka have produced eight wins apiece.
Malinga has taken 92 ODI wickets bowled, the joint-fifth most with Anil Kumble. Wasim Akram (176) has the most.
Kumar Sangakkara needs one stumping to become the first wicket-keeper to take 100 ODI stumpings.
Sangakkara needs four runs to become the seventh player to score 500 runs in a World Cup tournament. He has four centuries in this tournament, the most recorded in a single World Cup.
De Villiers (1,142 in 21 innings) needs seven runs to pass Jacques Kallis (1,148 in 32) as South Africa's leading World Cup run-scorer.
I didn't have to say much, we were very motivated for this game. The guys were in a really good space and they rocked up mentally. I was going to bat first but I would have backed the batters to do a good job out there.
It was incredible the job the bowlers did up front. [De Kock] He's been going through a tough time, you go through patches in your career, the coaches kept backing him, for him to pull it off with a really special knock and a couple of catches.
[Spinners] They came in at a crucial stage, we kept them back until the 14-15th over, so for the two of them to come on against a subcontinental team at a crucial stage was really impressive. I'm quietly confident, I like to believe in big things. I truly believe we're going to go all the way. For now we're just going to enjoy a beer and think about what's to come.