Published: Jan 25, 2017, 07:30 PM (IST)
Edited: Jan 26, 2017, 01:02 AM (IST)
Hello, good evening and welcome to CricketCountry’s live cricket blog and updates’ post of the third and final T20I between South Africa and Sri Lanka, to be played at Newlands, Cape Town. This is Pramod Ananth, and I will be bringing you the live cricket scores and updates of the game which will mark the return of a champion back into the international circuit. Yes, AB de Villiers is all set to play his first match since June 2016, and all eyes are pinned on this clash which also happens to be the series-decider, after both the teams won a game each in the series.
South Africa and Sri Lanka are levelled at 1-1 in this three-match T20I series, and the return of de Villiers to the second-string hosts’ side tilts the game heavily in their favour. De Villiers has made a successful return from the elbow injury, hammering a quickfire century in the domestic circuit to signal his rich form. However, this being a clash of the most unpredictable format, it will be daft if South Africa take things lightly as the visitors have already trumped them once. Sri Lanka will hope to repeat their performance of the second T20I. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 3rd T20I at Cape Town
In the second contest, Lakshan Sandakan made most of the spinning wicket at Johannesburg to guide Sri Lanka to a win. Sandakan bowled a measly spell of 4-0-23-4 to help Sri Lanka bowl out South Africa for a paltry 113. However, the going was not easy for the visitors when it was their turn to bat, as they suffered batting collapses. However, the brilliance of Angelo Mathews saw them through, despite him struggling with the hamstring injury. Mathews scored a 50-ball 54 not out with 3 sixes and 1 boundary. SA vs SL 3rd T20I, preview: Proteas hold advantage over injury-hit visitors
Earlier in the series, South Africa had maintained their domination over Sri Lanka after pummelling them 3-0 in Tests, by winning the first game of the T20I affair by 19 runs. In a rain-truncated game at the Super Sport Park in Centurion, Sri Lanka managed 107 for 6 in 10 overs, chasing a target of 127 set by South Africa. Angelo Mathews: It’s fine if selectors replace me as Sri Lanka captain
Squads:
Sri Lanka: Niroshan Dickwella, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal (wk & c), Asela Gunaratne, Seekkuge Prasanna, Thikshila de Silva, Nuwan Kulasekara, Isuru Udana, Lakshan Sandakan, Sachith Pathirana, Suranga Lakmal.
South Africa (From): JJ Smuts, Heino Kuhn, AB de Villiers, Mangaliso Mosehle (wk), David Miller, Farhaan Behardien (c), Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Aaron Phangiso, Imran Tahir, Lungisani Ngidi, Reeza Hendricks, Dane Paterson, Theunis de Bruyn.
FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 3rd T20I at Cape Town
