South Africa vs Sri Lanka 2016/17, 2nd T20I: Twitter Reacts As Visitors Edge Out Proteas In Close Finish
Jan 22, 2017 at 9:56 PM
Riding on debutant spinner Lakshan Sandakan’s four-wicket haul, Sri Lanka defeated South Africa by three wickets in the second T20I to level the three-match series 1-1.
After restricting the hosts to only 113, the visitors were in danger of squandering the good opportunity to register their first win on the tour after being reduced to 35 for 3 after the fifth over. But a 51-run partnership between Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews set the tone for an easy chase. The partnership was ended when Chandimal edged a Lungisani Ngidi delivery to the wicket-keeper. Two wickets inside 10 runs made the chase a tricky affair for Sri Lanka but Angelo Mathews (54) remained till the end to help his team cross the finish line with 2 balls remaining.
Earlier, South Africa skipper Farhan Behardien’s decision to bat first totally backfired as his side was dismissed for a paltry 113. The hostsΒ lost wickets at regular intervals with left-arm chinaman Sandakan finishing with 4 for 23 in his allotted four overs. Heino Kuhn was the top scorer for the Proteas with 29 off 20 balls. Apart from Kuhn, only Behardien could cross the 20-run mark as the new-look South Africa team struggled throughout their innings on a pitch that was assisting the spinners.
Here is how Twitter reacted to the match:
Well played Angelo Mathews.
What a game of cricket, thankfully not a run fest /synthetic bowler beating competition like #INDvENG #SAvSL— Khurram (@Siddiqi__) January 22, 2017
What a way to silence his haters. Played a sensible innings with Chandimal when the arm chair critics wanted him to go whacking #SAvSL
— Nilenth Selvaraja (@Nilenth) January 22, 2017
This performance was needed by Angelo Mathews. Playing for his job #SAvSL #sscricket #ProteaFire
— Jontyme (@Jontyme) January 22, 2017
Poor decision by letting a spinner bowl the last over #SSCricket #SAvSL
— Thabo Nyakane (@BluHef_TN) January 22, 2017
Kick a man when he's down and watch him fight back.
Angelo Mathews with an injured ankle smashes it for 6— Cindy Poluta (@CindyPoluta) January 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/RuairiStirling/status/823196222135615489
This team is not PRO-tea. It's just Tea.
They're not playing like PROs
And SL is drinking them like tea
ππππ #Proteas #SAvSL
— The Wrong Uso Quit (@LadyCharlotte01) January 22, 2017
There are no Sri Lanka cricket matches without a batting collapse or a heart-attack finish. #SAvSL
— Daniel Alexander (@daniel86cricket) January 22, 2017
I Love South African People 20 Min Ago They Were Talking Trash About #Proteas Now They Are Here Again " Go Proteas , Proteas Fire " πππ
— #BerekaEp β (@Skay_Vsd) January 22, 2017
Ngidi has been awarded the exclusive tender to dismantle the Sri lankans and h is running away with it #Proteas #SAvSL
— Lebogang Melvyn (@SwitMelvyn) January 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/Buzwebakhe/status/823188254442876932
Is this the new Kagiso Rabada? Brilliant stuff from Lungi Ngidi. Just when wickets had stalled, he got his 4th #ProteaFire #SAvSL
— Farai Diza (@faraiblogger) January 22, 2017
#ngidi ends with figures of 4/19 … absolutely fantastic from the young lad! #vowfmsport #SAvSL #ProteaFire
— Ahmed Kajee (@ahmedkajee) January 22, 2017
Good test for young Proteas coming up with the ball.Either way Sri Lanka will be grateful to the groundsman #homeawayfromhome #redcarpet
— Mark Boucher (@markb46) January 22, 2017
Vaas, Murali, Herath & Malinga make the headlines while Nuwan Kulasekara has always done phenomenal supporting role. today 3-0-10-2 #SAvSL
— Daniel Alexander (@daniel86cricket) January 22, 2017
Lakshan Sandakan becomes first Sri Lankan and 14th over-all to pick a wicket off his first ball in T20Is #SAvSL #SriLanka @SriLankaTweet
— Daniel Alexander (@daniel86cricket) January 22, 2017