South Africa kicked off their T20 World Cup campaign with a comfortable six-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a low-scoring encounter at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.
Sri Lanka in T20 World Cup were bundled out for a paltry 77 in 19.1 overs, their lowest total in T20 cricket. Anrich Nortje was the star performer for the Proteas, claiming a four-wicket haul for just seven runs.
Kusal Mendis top-scored for Sri Lanka with 19 runs, while Dasun Shanaka (9) and Angelo Mathews (16) were the other notable contributors.
South Africa chased down the target with ease, reaching 80/4 in 16.2 overs. Quinton de Kock (20) and Heinrich Klaasen (19) were the key contributors, while Reeza Hendricks (4) and Tristan Stubbs (13) also chipped in with useful runs.
Wanindu Hasaranga was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers, taking two wickets for 22 runs. However, the rest of the bowlers were ineffective, with Nuwan Thushara (1/18) and Matheesha Pathirana (1/12) the only other wicket-takers.
This was a comprehensive victory for South Africa, who dominated the match from start to finish. They will be looking to build on this momentum in their next match against Zimbabwe, while Sri Lanka will need to regroup and bounce back quickly.
