South Africa trounce Lanka

South Africa scripted a convincing nine-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the quarterfinal to register their first win in a knockout game in their World Cup history.

At the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), South Africa, known to succumb to pressure in big games of the World Cups, produced a clinical performance to skittle out Sri Lanka for a paltry 133. The side led by AB de Villiers then chased down the target with ease, with their out-of-form opener Quinton de Kock finding his touch with an unbeaten 78. The defeat also ended the one-day careers of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, two Sri Lankan legends. The confident looking South Africa now await the winners of New Zealand and West Indies for their semifinal encounter on March 24 at Auckland.

The Proteas bowling takes the credit for the impeccable victory as spinners Imran Tahir (4/26) and J P Duminy (3/29) proved too hot to handle for the Lankan batsmen. Duminy’s part-time off-spin produced great dividends as the all-rounder went on to clinch a hat-trick.

But the match would be remembered forever on a melancholic note as the last tie for Jayawardene and Sangakkara. After carrying the hopes of their nation for more than a decade, the duo bid adieu in front of a receptive SCG crowd. Both players had announced before the start of the World Cup that the quadrennial tournament would be their last assignment. Sangakkara had a memorable event, scoring a record four hundreds on the trot, while Jayawardene bailed out his team from a difficult situation against Afghanistan in a pool stage match, with a classy
century.