The first ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 game held in New York witnessed a stellar display of bowling mastery by South Africa, as they secured a resounding victory over Sri Lanka with six wickets to spare.
The highlight of the match was Ottneil Baartman and Anrich Nortje’s brilliant performance, which dismantled the Sri Lankan batting lineup. Baartman’s exceptional debut saw him take a wicket with his very first ball and concede only nine runs from his four overs, while Nortje’s extraordinary figures of 4/7 in four overs earned him the Player of the Match award.
Despite a modest target of 78 runs for victory, South Africa faced some challenges during the chase. However, with Quinton de Kock anchoring the innings with 20 runs from 27 balls, the Proteas managed to secure the win and kick off their campaign on a positive note.
The low-scoring thriller in Nassau County showcased the dominance of South Africa’s bowlers, as they restricted Sri Lanka to just 77 runs in their first innings. Baartman, Keshav Maharaj, and Nortje all contributed significantly to the impressive bowling performance, leading to a quick collapse of the Sri Lankan batting order.
For regular updates on ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, click here
Although Sri Lanka made a valiant effort with notable contributions from Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, and Angelo Mathews, they fell short as South Africa’s powerful batting lineup, led by Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller, comfortably sealed the victory with 3.4 overs and six wickets to spare.
Looking ahead, Sri Lanka will aim for redemption in their Group D campaign against Bangladesh in Dallas on Saturday, June 8, while South Africa will seek to maintain their momentum as they face the Netherlands in New York on the same day.
Read all the World News, Business News, Sports News, Entertainment News, Business News and Opinion here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
