Proteas seal first T20I via Super Over against Lanka
What's the story
South Africa clinched the first T20I against Sri Lanka in a dramatic fashion to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. After sealing the ODI series by a 5-0 margin, David Miller produced a superb display in a low-scoring thriller. In pursuit of 135, SA managed to tie the match and then won the same in Super Over.
1st T20I
How did the match pan out?
Batting first, Lanka got to 134/7 in 20 overs at the Newlands in Cape Town. Kamindu Mendis (41) was the top run-scorer for the visitors. Andile Phehlukwayo (3/25) was pick of the bowlers for SA. The hosts collapsed in the chase and it was Miller (41), who kept them in the tie. In the Super Over, SA got 14 runs and then defended it.
Twitter Post
Miller's day out in Cape Town
One catch, one stumping ✅
— ICC (@ICC) March 19, 2019
41 off 23 in the main innings ✅
13 off 5 in the Super Over ✅@DavidMillerSA12 is named Player of the Match after a low-scoring thriller in Cape Town! #SAvSL pic.twitter.com/6FUFlI42qk
Feats
Veteran Malinga closes in on Afridi
Lasith Malinga (2/11) now has 96 T20I wickets to his name. He needs three more to surpass leading T20I wicket-taker Shahid Afridi (98). Imran Tahir (1/21) now has 63 T20I scalps. Tahir equalled Ireland's George Dockrell and needs three more to overcome England's Stuart Broad (65). Mendis (41) notched his highest T20I score. It was only his second career T20I.
Miller
Miller achieves a host of feats in T20Is
David Miller now has 1.282 career T20I runs. He surpassed Hashim Amla (1,277) and Jos Buttler (1,260). Miller now has 187 runs against Sri Lanka in T20Is. He needs nine runs to surpass JP Duminy (195). This was also his highest T20I score against Lanka. His previous best was 40. Tahir has now picked up 14 T20I scalps against Lanka and leads the charts.
T20Is
12th T20I match to be tied
This was the 11th T20I meeting between the two. Both sides have a 5-5 tally with one match tied. Prior to this match, South Africa had lost three successive T20Is against Lanka. The 66-run stand between Rassie van der Dussen and Miller is now the highest partnership for the fourth wicket between the two sides. This was the 12th T20I match that was tied.