Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla struck unbeaten fifties as South Africa coasted to a nine-wicket victory at the Riverside Ground on Friday to provide a huge blow to Sri Lanka’s hopes of making it to the World Cup semi-finals.
Du Plessis and Co not only grabbed a consolation win but also dished out a clinical display with both ball and bat as they emerged victors by a comprehensive margin.
After the Proteas won the toss and elected to bowl, Sri Lanka could only score 203 with Dwaine Pretorius and Chris Morris sharing three wickets apiece.
Defending a low score, the Lankans were on the backfoot and needed wickets early on. Lasith Malinga got them the breakthrough after cleaning up opener Quinton de Kock with a yorker, but even after his departure South Africa never looked in trouble.
Amla (80 not out) and Du Plessis (96 not out) stitched together a partnership of 175 for the second wicket, as the already-eliminated South African side reached their target with 76 balls remaining.
The defeat saw the 1996 champions slump to the seventh spot on the points with six points from seven games.
Here are the full highlights of the match:
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!