Sri Lanka vs South Africa Highlights, T20 World Cup 2024: South Africa Start With Easy Win

Right then, that's all from this entertaining game where South Africa emerged victorious and got the first points on the board. The action continues on Tuesday, June 4, when Rashid Khan-led Afghanistan take on World Cup debutants Uganda at the Guyana National Stadium. The action will commence at 6 am IST (12.30 am GMT), but our build-up will begin much sooner. See you then. Cheers!

Aiden Markram, the skipper of South Africa says he is happy with the win. Adds the batting was a bit up and down but the bowlers did a fantastic job in the first innings. Mentions that this track is a tough one from a batter's perspective and you have to take the learnings from it and try to adapt. Adds they have got two next games at the same venue and it is important to assess the conditions and try to come out on top. Appreciates Anrich Nortje and also says that the boys in the dugout are pumped up with this win.

The captain of Sri Lanka, Wanindu Hasaranga feels that it was the correct decision to bat first. Adds that the batters went in search of a target between 160-170 but feels it was a 120-130 wicket. Shares that bowling is their strength which is why they wanted to bat first and put a good score on the board. States that they have to improve as a batting unit and if they can put good totals on the board, they can perform well in the tournament.

Anrich Nortje is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his exceptional bowling figures. He begins by saying that it means a lot to get some momentum going. Says it has been a tough few days and they have been working really very hard. Adds he is feeling good it's just that he didn't get the desired results in the past few games but it was good in this game as things went the way he wanted. States it was a tough wicket and the boys did really well with the ball initially and he just compounded the pressure when brought into the attack. Says he finds it a bit tricky to find momentum on such drop-in wickets and adds it's just about keeping plans simple and adapting to the conditions going forward.

Time for the presentation ceremony...

Earlier in the game, Sri Lanka opted to bat first, but could never really come to terms with the surface. South Africa got their wish to bowl first, and the Proteas pacers demonstrated why they wanted to make first use of the surface. Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, and Ottneil Baartman utilized the hardness of the new ball and extracted extra bounce from the pitch, posing tough questions to the opposition. Keshav Maharaj and Anrich Nortje kept the pressure on, capitalizing on the platform laid by the pacers in the Powerplay. Angelo Mathews attempted to counter-attack his way out of trouble but couldn't hang around for long. Nortje and Rabada combined to do the cleanup job and bowled Sri Lanka out for 77, the lowest score for the Asian side in their T20I history. Anrich Nortje had a field day, finishing with his best-ever T20I figures of 4 for 7 from 4 overs. Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj each picked up two wickets, while Ottneil Baartman claimed one in his maiden World Cup game.

As for Sri Lanka, they will reflect on how a bit more application with the bat could have resulted in a different outcome for them. Despite facing adversity after a dismal batting performance, their bowlers stepped up and put up a commendable fight. Angelo Mathews, Nuwan Thushara, and Dasun Shanaka operated well as a unit, keeping things tight against the South African top order. They maintained pressure and prevented the opposition from racing towards the target. Sri Lanka's start could have been even better had Kusal Mendis held onto the catch of Tristan Stubbs when he was on 0. Matheesha Pathirana tested the batters with his raw pace before Wanindu Hasaranga made an impact with wickets off successive overs. However, South Africa never truly felt the pressure of the scoreboard and batted sensibly to secure the win.

South Africa tame the Lankan Lions to kick off their campaign! While the chase got deeper than what the Proteas would have preferred, they ultimately got the job done and opened their account in the competition. With only 78 runs to get, it seemed to be a matter of when rather than if for South Africa, but the chase did not pan out to be as easy as it seemed at the halfway mark. It was a shaky start for South Africa as Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram departed cheaply. Given the modest target, they had the luxury of taking their time and seeing off the new ball. It was in no way the most convincing stays at the crease for Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs but they did well to hang around and weathered the storm against the new ball. Just as the singles began to flow freely off the bat of both batters, de Kock and Stubbs perished and could not see their side through. Heinrich Klaasen then got together with David Miller and a couple of hits from the former helped them ease off the pressure and took them over the line. With this win, the Proteas extend their dominance against Sri Lanka in Men's ICC events, marking their 7th successive win since their defeat in the 2014 T20 World Cup.

FOUR! Done and dusted! South Africa win their first game and begin their T20 World Cup campaign on a positive note after huffing and puffing a bit on a tricky surface to chase a paltry score. Wanindu Hasaranga offers a dolly full toss on the stumps, David Miller skips down the track and smashes it down the ground, the ball beats the chasing long on fielder and breaches the fence to wrap things up in style.

Short and outside off, Heinrich Klaasen punches it off the back foot towards deep extra covers for one.

An appeal for LBW but the umpire is unmoved. Wanindu Hasaranga straightaway challenges the on-field decision and sends it upstairs. Maheesh Theekshana bowls a carrom ball on a flatter trajectory, quicker as well, on a length and keeps way low on the bounce on the leg stump line, David Miller is back into the crease and looks to tuck it away, but gets a ping on the front pad. The UltraEdge comes up and shows that no bat is involved. Ball Tracking confirms that the ball is pitching outside leg.

Short and quick, turning in from off, Heinrich Klaasen pulls it over square leg for a single.

Good length, outside off, Heinrich Klaasen punches it off the back foot straight to covers.

On a flatter trajectory, comes quicker on the bat on a length, David Miller reads the length and pace before pulling it towards deep mid-wicket for one.

Short in length and on the middle and off-channel, Heinrich Klaasen backs away and knocks it down to long on for a single.

Flattens it on a length, on top of off, Heinrich Klaasen rocks back quickly and punches it back to the bowler.

Fuller in length, and on off, David Miller goes deep inside the crease and drives it straight back to the bowler to end the over. Just 6 needed now.

Short and just outside off, Heinrich Klaasen pulls it solidly to widish deep mid-wicket for one.

FOUR! Down the ground and now Klaasen's in a hurry! Drops it right underneath the bat on the stumps, Heinrich Klaasen clears his front leg and spanks the ball, picking the bones of out it, straight down the ground over the bowler's head for a cracking four.

SIX! BOOM! A pressure release hit by Heinrich Klaasen! Not quite the correct option by Wanindu Hasaranga, loopy delivery and right in the slot, on middle, Heinrich Klaasen clears his front leg and winds up before tonking it over long on for a biggie.