Shamsi helps SA clinch T20 series with big win over SL
Spinners Tabraiz Shamsi and Aiden Markram set up a crushing nine-wicket win for South Africa in the second Twenty20 international against Sri Lanka to clinch the series on Sunday.
Shamsi and Markram took three wickets each to help bowl out Sri Lanka for 103, a total the tourists chased down in 14.1 overs to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series in Colombo.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock hit an unbeaten 58 and put on 62 runs with opening partner Reeza Hendricks, who made 18.
The let-handed De Kock struck his 10th T20 half-century and first against Sri Lanka to see the team home with Markram for company on 21 ater Hendricks’ departure.
But it was the spinners who set up victory with world number one T20 bowler Shamsi, a let-arm wrist spinner, returning impressive figures of 3-20.
Markram, a top-order batsman who has been named the replacement for England’s Dawid Malan in the Indian Premier League side Punjab Kings, returned career-best 3-21 with his off-spin bowling.
Markram, who will join Punjab in the UAE for the remainder of the IPL — re-starting Sept.19 — that was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic in India, had scored a match-winning 48 in the team’s opening win.
Fast bowler Anrich Nortje struck first with the wicket of Dinesh Chandimal for five before the spinners took over and got the remaining nine scalps.
Shamsi, a let-arm wrist spinner, combined with fellow slow bowlers to wrap up the opposition innings.
Bjorn Fortuin took two and skipper Keshav Maharaj — both let-arm spinners — claimed the final wicket.
South Africa made short work of their modest chase with De Kock leading the charge to reach his fity off 42 balls as he hit seven fours.
Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga took the only wicket of Hendricks.
The third T20 is on Tuesday at the same venue. SRI LANKA NAME SQUAD FOR T20 WORLD CUP: Sri Lanka named a 15-player squad for next month’s Twenty20 World Cup, but said they were undecided on whether to play against Afghanistan over the Taliban’s reported ban on women playing sport.
Sri Lanka cricket retained Dasun Shanaka as captain with Dhananjaya de Silva as his deputy for the T20 World Cup which runs from October 17 to November 14 in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
“We have now finalised the squad, but we are yet to take a decision regarding Afghanistan,” Sri Lanka cricket board secretary Mohan de Silva told AFP.
“We are aware of reports that some (teams) may boycot playing Afghanistan over the Taliban’s position on women, but we are yet to take a decision on that,” de Silva said.
Australia Test captain Tim Paine said Friday he believed teams could pull out of the Twenty20 tournament or boycot matches against Afghanistan unless the Taliban regime change their stance on women’s sport.
Under International cricket Council regulations, nations with Test status must also have an active women’s team.
Australia on Wednesday said it would cancel a maiden Test against Afghanistan in Hobart in November unless the Taliban backtracks.
The new Taliban administration in Kabul has made it clear that while they will allow the national men’s cricket team to go ahead with their matches abroad, they will not allow women to participate in sports.