Spinners help Sri Lanka stun South Africa in T20 World Cup opener

Chamari Athapaththu's 50 years and a superb presentation with the ball set up Sri Lanka's exhilarating three-run triumph in the T20 World Cup opener against South Africa in Cape Town on Friday (February 10). Notwithstanding a sluggish first half, Sri Lanka figured out how to post 129 for 4 because of Athapaththu's 50-ball 68 - which included 12 limits - and her 89-run relationship for the second wicket with Vishmi Gunaratne (35 off 34). The bowlers then got into the go about as Inoka Ranaweera (3-18), Oshadi Ranasinghe (2-20) and Sugandika Kumari (2-28) conveyed normal strikes, with the last option shielding 12 in the last over to assist Sri Lanka with shocking South Africa.

The South African openers got off to a consistent beginning, scoring three limits between them in the initial four overs. In any case, the organization reached a conclusion in the fifth as Ranasinghe had Tazmin Brits cutting a catch to cover to excuse her for 12 in her first finished, and furthermore offered just two runs. Marizanne Kapp struck a limit off Sugandika in the last over of the powerplay as South Africa got 38 in the initial six overs. Kapp, notwithstanding, fell in the eighth over endeavoring to hit Ranaweera over mid on and the bowler likewise stowed the wicket of Laura Wolvaardt to leave South Africa in a spot of trouble at 53/3 in the tenth over.

South Africa ended up in additional difficulty as Sugandika had Chloe Tryon gotten at long on and Anneke Bosch bowled off an inside edge as they slipped to 72/5 in the thirteenth over. The necessary rate increased more than 10 when the sixteenth over was finished, with captain Sune Luus being the key for the hosts who ended up under a ton of strain. Luus struck a six off Ranasinghe however Nadine de Klerk fell in something similar over, leaving South Africa with 33 to get off the last three overs.

Two or three limits for Sinalo Jafta off Kavisha Dilhari carried the condition to 20 off 12 conveyances. Sri Lanka botched a run-out an open door in the penultimate over however Ranaweera got the enormous wicket of Luus, having the South African commander advocated for 28. Shabnim Ismail struck her most memorable ball for a four yet Jafta was pursued out soon. Requiring 13 to win off the last finished, Ismail dealt with a couple off the main ball bowled by Sugandika however was run out the following ball endeavoring a couple. Sugandika, the accomplished left-arm spinner, conveyed an incredible over under tension, offering nine to convey a triumphant beginning to Sri Lanka's mission.

Prior, in the wake of being approached to bat, Athapaththu had an early relief as 'guardian Sinalo Jafta put down a catch while pushing across to a brink made by Ismail. In the mean time, both the Sri Lankan openers didn't find scoring simple, with Ismail in any event, bowling a lady to Harshitha Madavi. The limit dry spell finished in the fourth over as Athapaththu pummeled a cover drive off Kapp and furthermore struck two progressive limits off Nonkululeko Mlaba while Madavi played a scoop shot off Ayabonga Khaka for a four. However, Sri Lanka could get just 28 in the powerplay and they likewise lost their most memorable wicket not long after as de Klerk had Madavi gotten at short mid-wicket.

The following hitter, Gunaratne, additionally carved out opportunity to get rolling while Athapaththu needed to bear the obligation of getting the majority of the runs. The Lankan captain struck two fours off de Klerk however Sri Lanka oversaw just 45 in the initial 10 overs, battling to track down any force. Athapaththu furnished the genuinely necessary catalyst with three fours straight off de Klerk in the eleventh over, driving a couple through cover prior to pulling one over mid-wicket. Gunaratne played an oar fired off Mlaba for her initial four and followed it up with three fours in progression off Ismail to raise the 50 years stand off 36 balls.

Athapaththu got to a 42-ball fifty and afterward struck another full go-around of limits off de Klerk as Sri Lanka went past 100 in the sixteenth over. The subsequent wicket stand reached a conclusion when an immediate hit from Brits got Gunaratne shy of the wrinkle. In the equivalent over, Kapp got the wicket of Athapaththu because of a fine catch from de Klerk in the profound. The wicket of the set players and tight bowling from South Africa implied that Sri Lanka could oversee 15 in the last three overs to get done with a disappointing aggregate.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 129/5 in 20 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 68, Vishmi Gunaratne 35; Marizanne Kapp 1-15) beat South Africa 126/9 in 20 overs (Sune Luus 28; Inoka Ranaweera 3-18, Oshadi Ranasinghe 2-20) by 3 runs.