| Sri Lanka 129-4 (20 overs): Atapattu 68 (50), Vishmi 35 (34) |
| South Africa 126-9 (20 overs): Luus 28 (27); Ranaweera 3-18 |
| Sri Lanka won by three runs |
| Scorecard |
An inspired bowling performance from Sri Lanka produced a shock win over hosts South Africa in the opening match of the Women’s T20 World Cup in Cape Town.
In a tense finish, South Africa needed 13 to win from the final over in pursuit of 130 for victory, but buckled under the pressure to fall three runs short.
Spinner Inoka Ranaweera took 3-18 as a packed Newlands crowd was silenced.
Sri Lanka’s first-innings total of 129-4 was set up by captain Chamari Atapattu’s 68 from 49 balls and 17-year-old Vishmi Gunaratne’s supporting 35.
Sri Lanka started slowly, reaching just 28 after the powerplay after a fearsome opening spell from quicks Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail, but Atapattu and Vishmi added 86 for the second wicket – Sri Lanka’s highest partnership for any wicket in T20s against South Africa.
It still seemed a below-par total but Sri Lanka, who have not played an international match since October, used the conditions to their advantage with their spinners taking seven of the eight wickets to fall on a slow pitch with big boundaries.
The momentum shifted throughout South Africa’s chase, with captain Sune Luus looking to steer her side to victory before she was crucially stumped for 28 in the 19th over.
But for South Africa, the impact of the defeat in front of a home crowd was evident as the last-wicket pair of Ayabonga Khaka and Nonkululeko Mlaba sunk to their knees in dismay.
More to follow.
