SA WRAP-UP 3-0 SERIES WHITEWASH

Asterling display from South Africa’s batters helped the Proteas to a comfortable 39-run win against Sri Lanka, sealing a 3-0 T20I series whitewash in Centurion yesterday.

Solid cameos from the top five took South Africa to an imposing total of 163 for five, and Sri Lanka never looked to be in sight of the stiff target.

Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field but weren’t to enjoy much success in the opening overs. Dane van Niekerk and Tazmin Brits got the hosts off to a solid start, bringing up a half-century partnership from 43 balls.

Sri Lanka’s innings could not have gotten off to a worse start, with South Africa’s new-ball pairing of Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail carrying out their usual excellence.

Kapp removed Prasadani Weerakkody for a secondball duck, and the opening bowlers proved difficult to get away as Sri Lanka amassed just nine runs from their first four overs.

A bright spark for

Sri Lanka was Chamari Atapattu, who hit 43 from just 36 balls, blasting six fours and one six.

At the other end, her colleagues were unable to match her exploits. Hasini Madushika could amass only 13 from 24 balls before being bowled by Nadine de Klerk.

Atapattu departed to Ismail in the 13th over as Sri Lanka crumbled from 72 for two to 124 for eight from their 20 overs.

De Klerk collected figures of three for 27 from her four overs while the economical Ismail finished with two for 11 as the hosts completed the three-match series in total comfort. (ICC)

South Africa: 163/5 in 20 overs (Dane van Niekerk 38, Tazmin Brits 36, Lara Goodall 35, Sune Luus 26)

Sri Lanka: 124/8 in 20 overs (Chamari Atapattu 43, Shashikala Siriwardana 29, Shabnim Ismail 2/11, Nadine de Klerk 3/27).