Sri Lanka claim T20 series win
January 26, 2017 06:29 am
Niroshan Dickwella struck a crucial 68 as Sri Lanka beat South Africa by five wickets in Wednesday's Twenty20 international at Newlands to secure its first trophy on South African soil.
Chasing a challenging 170 to win the decisive third match after AB de Villiers had struck 63 on his return to international cricket, Dickwella shared in a 71-run stand with Dhananjaya de Silva (19) before Seekkuge Prasanna's destructive 37 saw Sri Lanka home with one ball to spare.
The visitors clinched the three-match series 2-1 as a result but were grateful to some poor fielding from the South Africans, who dropped five catches in total - including three in three balls.
De Villiers had not played an international match since June last year due to an elbow injury but was soon part of the action after the hosts won the toss and elected to bat.
After Jon-Jon Smuts (19) and Reeza Hendricks (41) put on 36 for the first wicket, De Villiers eased back into the international game with a 35-ball fifty as he put on 71 for the second wicket with Hendricks.
