Dilshan powers SL to emphatic victory

Tillakaratne Dilshan hit an unbeaten 74 off 51 deliveries to take Sri Lanka to a six-wicket consolation win in the third and final Twenty20 match over South Africa which has secured the series 2-1. South Africa captain Faf du Plessis led from the front scoring 85 in his team’s imposing 163 for three in 20 overs after electing to bat first. Jean-Paul Duminy continued his top form with a run a ball unbeaten 51.

Sri Lanka took off to a strong start as Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene added 67 runs before Jayawardene (33) was out in the sixth over. The start and 20 runs in the 18th over by Thisara Perera enabled Sri Lanka to chase down the score with 11 deliveries to spare.

Du Plessis, who won the toss for the third time in a row and elected to bat, smashed 10 boundaries and three sixes during a third-wicket stand of 112 with JP Duminy. Left-handed Duminy remained unbeaten on a 34-ball 51 that contained three fours and two sixes as South Africa put on a thrilling exhibition of power hitting in the day-night match.

The Proteas, already enjoying an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, will look for a clean sweep to make amends for the 1-4 defeat in the preceding one-day internationals. Sri Lanka, the world’s top-ranked Twenty20 side, will slip to number three behind Pakistan and South Africa if they lose the series 3-0. Du Plessis and Duminy put on their century stand after opener Henry Davids had been dismissed off the first ball of the match, leg-before to seamer Nuwan Kulasekara.

Duminy hit his 100th six in Twenty20 internationals when he lofted Kulasekara for a six.