Nortje stars as South Africa cruise to victory over Sri Lanka in World Cup opener

By Sports Desk June 03, 2024

South Africa's World Cup campaign got off to a winning start as they cruised to a six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on Monday thanks to an impeccable bowling performance.

All the hard work was done in the first innings when Sri Lanka chose to bat but were unable to come up with any answers to South Africa's stubborn bowlers.

They limped to 40-5 in the first 10 overs, as Keshav Maharaj took two wickets in two balls in a successful second over, with both Wanindu Hasaranga and Sadeera Samarawickrama being dismissed for ducks.

Anrich Nortje entered the mix to ensure Sri Lanka were bowled out for their lowest-ever T20I total, as he took 4-7 in his four overs to ensure a target of just 78.

It was by no means a high-scoring game, as Quinton de Kock finished with the highest run tally (20 off 27 balls) as one of South Africa’s openers.

Sri Lanka were strong bowlers themselves, with Hasaranga the stand-out with 2-17, but it was not enough as South Africa ambled to 80-4 inside the 17th over.

Elsewhere, Namibia survived a huge scare to beat Oman in a super over in their Group B opener on Sunday, with David Wiese making the difference with both bat and ball.

Wiese had finished with figures of 3-28 as Oman were bowled out for just 109, then Namibia stumbled to 109-6 themselves, scrambling two off their final ball after Mehran Khan's bowling had put Oman on the brink of an upset.

In the first T20 World Cup super over since 2012, Wiese slammed a four off the first ball and a maximum from the second, finishing with 13 off four deliveries faced.

Taking up the ball, he then dismissed Naseem Khushi as Namibia clinched an 11-run success. 

Data Debrief: South Africa's bowlers take away hope

All of South Africa's bowlers were on top form in their opener, but no more than Nortje, who broke his own record for the best bowling figures for the Proteas in a men's T20 World Cup match, with his 4-7 in this match beating his 4-10 versus Bangladesh in 2022.

Meanwhile, Baartman became the first South African to take a World Cup wicket with his first tournament delivery. 

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