Ruthless Sri Lanka sink Proteas by 78 runs to take series 2-1

The victorious Sri Lanka team celebrate their 2-1 ODI series win over South Africa

• Leapfrog from 9th to 5th position in World Cup Super League Standings

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Sri Lanka displayed the ruthless streak demanded by coach Mickey Arthur to sink South Africa by 78 runs and win the third and final ODI at the R Premadasa Stadium yesterday. The win gave Sri Lanka the three-match ODI series 2-1.

It was Sri Lanka’s first ODI series win since March 2020 and the first under captain Dasun Shanaka. Sri Lanka picked up 10 points from the win to leapfrog from ninth to fifth position in the ICC Men’s World Cup Super League Standings with 42 points.

On a slow turning pitch where the spinners held the upperhand Sri Lanka spun South Africa out for 125 off 30 overs chasing a target of 204. Sri Lanka choosing to bat first made the best use of the spinning track to score 203-9 with Charith Asalanka once again displaying his maturity as a batsman at international level by scoring an impeccable 47 off 71 balls. His consistency with the bat throughout the series won him the Man of the Series award.

The wicket was a challenging one for the batsmen and Asalanka along with Dhananjaya de Silva who made 31 off 44 balls were the only batsmen to display any technique to survive against the turning ball.

Stand-in captain Keshav Maharaj employed spin from the second over putting himself on to bowl and it was the first time since 1996 that South Africa employed four spinners who bowled 40 overs of spin in an ODI.

Run scoring was difficult and at 154-7 in the 38th over Sri Lanka didn’t look like getting past the psychological 200-run mark, but Dushmantha Chameera contributed an important 29 runs off 39 balls to push his team beyond that figure.

Then returning with the ball he gave Sri Lanka the perfect start by claiming two early wickets to push South Africa onto the back foot by sending back Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen off successive overs to take the Man of the Match award.      

Following the start given by Chameera, the Sri Lankan spinners were able to apply the pressure on the rest of the South African batting by not only stifling their run rate but also picking up wickets constantly.

Most impressive of the Lankan spinners was debutant Maheesh Theekshana who finished with dream figures of 4 for 37 off his 10 overs. Theekshana who bowls in similar style to another former Sri Lanka spinner Ajantha Mendis with the carom ball as his stock delivery, picked up a wicket with his first ball in ODI cricket by dismissing opener Janneman Malan who had scored a century in the second ODI which South African won.

Theekshana, whose bowling had already become a topic of discussion in the South African dugout was the 29th bowler in ODI history to achieve the feat and the fourth Sri Lankan bowler to do so after Charitha Buddhika (2001), Kaushal Lokuarachchi (2003), and Thilan Thushara (2008). Sadly all three of them did not enjoy an extended run in ODI format Buddhika played only 17 ODIs and took 15 wickets, Lokuarachchi 21 ODIs and 31 wickets, and Thushara 38 ODIs and 50 wickets.

While Theekshana was baffling the batsmen from one end Wanindu Hasaranga not bowling at his best but still good enough to take two wickets, along with Praveen Jayawickrama, Dhananjaya de Silva and Asalanka tied down the rest of the batters on a very dry surface where the spinners found appreciable turn from ball one.

De Silva in addition to his batting was proactive in the slips holding onto three good catches. Dinesh Chandimal making a comeback to ODI cricket since March this year celebrated his 150th appearance with two splendid catches behind the wicket.

All in all, it was a hard fought-out ODI series with Sri Lanka having the advantage and edge of playing on their home turf.

Sri Lankan spearhead Dushmantha Chameera struck two early blows in the South African innings

Maheesh Theekshana is congratulated by teammates after taking a wicket (Janneman Malan) off his first ball in ODI cricket

 Charith Asalanka held the Sri Lanka innings together with another judicious knock of 47