South Afirica pull off thrilling win as England maul Australia

Mohammad Abdullah, Senior Sports Reporter
 
Wanindu Hasaranga’s hat-trick went in vain as South Africa’s David Miller and Kagiso Rabada pulled off a thrilling four-wicket win against Sri Lanka in their T20 World Cup match in Sharjah on Saturday.

Earlier, Tabraiz Shamsi and Dwaine Pretorious shared six wickets between them, taking three each as South Africa pulled Lanka down to set them a modest target of 143.

South Africa had wobbled in the chase as Hasaranga’s hat-trick had put Proteas on the back foot but Miller and Rabada took control of the proceedings as they shared a 34-run unbeaten stand to put all the doubts to rest

Needing 15 runs off the last over, Miller hit Lahiru Kumara for two consecutive sixes to tilt the match in South Africa’s favour before Rabada gave it a final flourish with boundary with one ball remaining in a nail-biting finish. Miller’s 13-ball 23 cameo was studded with two sixes while Rabada hit one six and a boundary in his 7-ball 13.

Defending, Sri Lankan fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera gave early blows to South Africa by getting rid of openers De Kock and Reeza Hendricks in quick succession.

Rassie van der Dussen failed to deliver in his third successive game as captain Temba Bavuma came to the rescue after South Africa were reduced to 49/3.

Bavuma and Aiden Markram took the score to 96 with 47-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Hasaranga rattled the stumps of Markram as South Africa lost the fourth wicket.

Bavuma played a patient knock to take his team deep into the  match before Hasarnag took two more wickets off the first two deliveries of his next over to become the third man to take a hat-trick in the history of the tournament.

He had Bavuma and Pretorius caught by Nissanka and R Rajapaksa off the successive balls to leave South Africa tottering at 112/6 before Miller and Rabada combined to steer them to second straight win.

Earlier, leg-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi ripped through the Sri Lanka middle order to set up the win with his 3-17 from four overs as Pretorius wiped out the tail, picking up three wickets.

Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka shared a 40-run partnership for the second wicket  to take the match forward after Anrich Nortje sent back opener Kusal Perera for seven.

After that Lanka kept on losing the wicket at regular interval and failed to get the partnership going. Shamsi had Bhanuka Rajapaksa caught and bowled for nought and then got rid of Avishka Fernando in the similar fashion in his next over. Harasanga was Shamsi's third victim as he broke the backbone of their batting.

Pretorius accounted for the dismissal of Pathum Nissanka, Chamika Karunaratne and Dasun Shanaka as Nortje took his second scalp, dismissing Dushmantha Chameera.

Lanka’s opener Nissanka scored a fifty, which featured six fours and three sixes amid the mayhem. This is his second fifty in three World Cup matches.

Australian players congratulate England's Jos Buttler during their Cricket Twenty20 World Cup match in Dubai on Saturday. AP

Elsewhere, Jos Buttler smashed an unbeaten 71 Chris Woakes bowled splendidly to power England to an eight-wicket over Australia at the Twenty20 World Cup.

Buttler added 66 runs for the first wicket with Jason Roy tos et the tone for a victory as England chased down tehe target of 126 in 11.4 overs in Dubai.

Buttler 32-ball 66 was studded with five fours and five sixes as England notched up their third successive win in the Super 12 stage to close in on semi-final spot.

Woakes and Chris Jordan shared five wickets between them help England skittle out Australia out for 125 .

Woakes sent David Warner back to the pavilion to make his intent clear. He then removed Glenn Maxwell to push Australia on the back foot from the word go before taking a stunner to get rid of Steve Smith.

Jordan picked up 3-17 to push them in tatters despite a gritty 44 by skipper Aaron Finch.

Australia were reeling at 51-5 after leg spinner Adil Rashid trapped Marcus Stoinis in front of wicket and Liam Livingstone dismissed Matthew Wade.

Finch showed some kind of resistanceas shared 47-run stand with Ashton Agar to propel the score to a respectable total.

Agar hit two straight sixes off Woakes' fourth over but fell prey to a crafty bowling by Mills while attempting another big hit.

Jordan returned to dismiss Finch and Pat Cummins on successive balls to complete the rout. Adam Zampa avoided the hat-trick.

In reply, England were off to a strong start before Zampa caught Roy plumb in front of wicket.

Buttler kept punishing the bowling, raising his half-century with a six. He had Jonny Bairstow, who hit the winning runs, for company till the end.