South Africa took off their ‘Chokers’ tag in major tournaments when they comprehensively beat Sri Lanka by 9 wickets at Sydney on Wednesday to seal their place in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 semi-final.
South Africa controlled the game from the first ball itself to dismantle the strong Lankan batting lineup for 133 as JP Duminy (including a hat-trick) and Imran Tahir spun a web around the South-Asian islanders taking 7 wickets among them. Quinton De Kock hit a swift half-ton to carry South Africa home without any problem as the best batting bromance of Sanga-Mahela which has notched up 13368 runs together called it ‘time’ with Sri Lanka being knocked out of the tournament. Mahela Jayawardene will no longer play international cricket while Kumar Sangakkara will only play few Test matches later this year before his majestic career comes to an end.
Angelo Mathews won the most important toss of coin and elected to bat as Sri Lanka opted for a debutant spinner in Tharindu Kaushal and a rookie fast-bowler Dushmantha Chameera in this most-important quarter-final clash but the most criticized decision was to shift Kusal Perera to open the batting instead of in-form Lahiru Thirimanne. He was given the license to play freely but the plan backfired.
Pundits in Sri Lanka always wanted Kusal to open the batting but his dismissal off Kyle Abbott brought Sangakkara early to the wicket and the dashing opening batsman TM Dilshan played a loose shot off Dale Steyn to follow Kusal to the pavilion. Thirimanne was originally slated at number 6 but he was once again promoted to bat at number 4 and he showcased glimpses of next Sangakkara with his elegant strokes through the off-side.
Sri Lanka only managed 35 runs in the mandatory power play which is the lowest during the whole campaign. South African pace attack bowled with venom and control and they had a clear plan for Sangakkara which was to be aggressive and bowl wicket to wicket to the legend as he was pretty slow to score runs following the early pressure by the bowlers and the dismissals at the other end.
The two left-handers stroked 65 runs together for the 3rd wicket but the biggest problem came for the Lankan batsmen when South African strike bowler, Imran Tahir and the part-time off-spinner JP Duminy bowled in tandem and Tahir dismissed Thirimanne in the 20th over.
Sri Lanka’s cricketer Kumar Sangakkara waves to the crowd as he leaves the ground after the 2015 Cricket World Cup quarter-final match between Sri Lanka and South Africa in Sydney ©AFP
Sanga and Mahela rejoined for their last international knock together but Tahir got the better off the right-hander for the 4th time as he played a nothing off a pull short straight to the short mid-wicket fielder. Skipper Angelo was peppered by short deliveries by Morne Morkel but he was involved in a short 33-run stand before he became JP Duminy’s first wicket in his hat-trick. Nuwan Kulasekara and Tharindu Kaushal were the other two batsmen as JP Duminy became the 2nd spinner after Saqlain Mushtaq to take a hat-trick in a World Cup game.
Sangakkara tried to counter-attack but his lone fight ended when he slashed a Morkel delivery to third man as the rain clouds cried in sadness of seeing the greatest left-hander walking off in disgust in his final ODI appearance. Sri Lanka innings was wiped off in 38th over for just 133.
Sri Lanka had no confidence to turn around the match as the Proteas opening pair of Quinton De Kock and Hashim Amla had no pressure when they came out to bat. Amla was the only wicket to fall but the young left-hander smashed a superb 78 runs not out to regain his form. De Kock and Du Plessis took only 18 overs to achieve the target in the shortest World Cup knockout game.
Mystery spinner Tharindu Kaushal was impressive after being called up to fill large boots of Rangana Herath. Kaushal will be a great asset to Sri Lanka in the future with his bag full of variations. Young speedster Dushmantha Chameera will have to adjust his line and length though he looks very potent with his 145+kmph pace. They will have to be taken care of properly and groomed to be strike bowlers in the future as Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign came to a disappointing end.
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