SA v SL 1st T20I Review: Miller, Ngidi win it for the Proteas in a rain marred tie

After a disastrous Test series, Sri Lanka also began their T20I campaign on a losing note as the Proteas won the 1st T20I at the Super Sport Park in Centurion by 19 runs to go 1-0 up in the 3 match series. Persistent rains prevented play for a good two and a half hours and when eventually play resumed the match had been reduced to 10 overs affair. The home team rode on a quickfire 18 balls 40 by David Miller which propelled them to a score of 126/7 in their 10 overs.

The visitors had a terrific start as Niroshan Dickwella and Dhananjaya de Silva got off to a blistering start but a middle order collapse cost them dearly as they eventually 19 runs short of the target. It was an impressive performance by the visitors but on the day the hosts were gain better.

Sri Lankan captain Angelo Matthews won the toss and put the hosts in. The hosts played as many as 5 debutants as they have lost many of their first choice players to English County Championship. They had no option but to go from the outset and in the quest of quick runs they lost both their openers JJ Smuts and Heino Kuhn within the first two overs but they had got them off to a brisk start.

While Smuts scored 13, Kuhn made 10. Theunis de Bruyn and David Miller upped the ante with some lusty blows and took the score to 54 in the 5th over before de Bruyn gave away his wicket in the last delivery of the 5th over of leggie Sekuge Prasanna.

Also read: South Africa v Sri Lanka, 1st T20I – 5 Talking Points

Miller struck 3 fours and 3 sixes during his whirlwind innings which changed the whole complexion of the game. Captain Farhaan Behardien scored an 18 balls 31 late down the order to help the hosts post a competitive 126/7 on the board.

Visitors Sri Lanka got off to a terrific start. Openers Niroshan Dickwella and Dhananjaya de Silva began in a spanking fashion with e Silva hitting a couple of boundaries in the very first over. It was now the turn of Dickwella on the other end as the southpaw smashed Wayne Parnell for a hat-trick of boundaries to keep up the required rate.

Dickwella struck a four and a six in 3rd over of Andile Phehlukwayo to take Sri Lanka to 40/0 at the end of the 3rd over and it looked the visitors were well on course to register their maiden victory of the series. After putting up 59 runs opening partnership, Niroshan Dickwella was dismissed by leg-spinner Imran Tahir which triggered a collapse of sorts.

De Silva was castled by a terrific wrong un from Imran Tahir which reduced the islanders to 73/2 in the 6th over. Wickets kept tumbling as the visitors from a comfortable position of 73/1 were reeling at 91/6 at the end of the 8th over. Debutant Lungisani Ngidi was terrific in and finished with impressive figures of 2/12 in his 2 overs. He was instrumental in putting the breaks on the run chase.

Sri Lanka couldn’t capitalise on the launching pad set by their openers and eventually fell 19 runs short of the victory target. While Imran Tahir bagged 2 wickets, Parnell and left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso chipped in with a wicket each. Lungisni Ngidi was adjudged the Player of the Match for his terrific spell.

Brief Scores

South Africa 126/5 in 10 overs (David Miller 40, Farhaan Behardien 31*, Nuwan Kulasekara 2/27)

Sri Lanka 107/6 in 10 overs (Niroshan Dickwella 43, Dhananjaya de Silva 27, Lungisani Ngidi 2/12)

South Africa won by 19 runs