Match tied (South Africa won the Super Over eliminator)
PLAYER OF THE MATCH : David Miller
Batter
Bowler
Ufff! What a game. Everyone thought South Africa would cruise to 134 but the slow surface aided the Sri Lankan spinners and we had an encounter to remember. Today was the closest that the visitors have come to a victory in white-ball cricket and they will take a lot of positives from that. Time to wrap up things. Hope you enjoyed our coverage. This is Akshay Maanay signing off on behalf of Kumar Abhisekh Das and our scorer Naga. Goodnight!
Faf du Plessis: That was great fun. We needed bit of that - a tight finish. Both teams put under pressure and how they respond. We were put under pressure in the last 5-6 overs with the bat and then again in the Super Over. We backed him (Miller with the gloves) and are working with him behind the scenes. He was nervous but he has our backing. A perfect day for him behind the stumps. We bowled really well. I was surprised how the wicket played, did not expect it to turn so much at Newlands. It was always going to be (tough), if you get one or two wickets you will get more. Playing Malinga at the death is very difficult. He is one of the best at that stage. But this will help us if we meet in the World Cup. He (Phehlukwayo) is having a good time with the ball. We need guys to take responsibility and he is taking them.
David Miller, Man of the Match: It was a little bit longer than we expected. Did not expect the Super Over. But a great game of cricket. We had just 5 minutes to gather our thoughts and come out. Rassie and I are were going really well, but we lost his wicket and my wicket was unnecessary to be honest. I don't think you do (know the target in a Super Over). We spoke in the break and thought 10 would be a good score. I have no idea (if I will keep in the next game), we will see how it goes.
Lasith Malinga: T20 is a very interesting game. That's why people like that. We tried our best but couldn't get what we need. 130 is not enough in a T20 game but we knew the surface was going to be slow and hence introduced the spinners early. I am used to those tight situations and conditions, though I am getting old, I like these challenges. I tried my variations in the Super Over but it did not come through and credit to Miller. In a T20 game the result is not known till the last ball and that's why we fight for every single ball.
Earlier in the day, Lanka lost early wickets and stuttered their way to 134. Kamindu Mendis batted well for 41 but got no support from the other end. SA themselves started off on an iffy note and it was the Miller-van der Dussen partnership that got them going. But both got out in the 16 over of the chase to spell panic in the camp. Malinga might have leaked 14 in the Super Over, but it was because of his spell of 2-0-3-2 that Sri Lanka went that far. He was simply outstanding in the death.
Sri Lanka's 134 never looked threatening until SA did the choke act, again. They were let off thanks to a missed direct hit from a lesser distance to go into the Super Over. Miller who had a field day behind the sticks and in front of it during the 20-over dash did well to take Malinga for 14 runs in the decider. Tahir had the ball for the SA team and though it was a gamble, it paid off for Faf and Co. as the leg-spinner defended the 14 runs to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
Ball 6: Tahir to Thisara, 1 run, Tahir has done it. South Africa win the Super Over. Like he has done all series, Tahir keeps it away from Thisara's reach and the burly left hander can only cue-end the slap towards long-off. Tahir continues his celebration..
Ball 6: Tahir to Thisara, wide, anticlimax. After all the celebration from Tahir, he has to rebowl the final delivery. Googly that is too far outside off, no chance for Thisara to reach it
Ball 5: Tahir to Thisara, no run, look at Tahir. He's celebrating. He knows the match is done and dusted. Keeps yelling and jumping in joy. The wrong 'un outside off and Thisara misses the heave to the leg-side, the spin was always taking the ball away from him
Ball 5: Tahir to Thisara, wide, are we back in it again? 12 needed off 2 now. That was floated wide, turned away further to be wided. Thisara is reading the mind of the bowler, knew it would be a googly and watched it late before leaving it outside off
Ball 4: Tahir to Avishka, 1 run, dropped! The pressure is getting to even the most experienced guys. Steyn puts down a sitter. A quicker dart outside off, Fernando wanted to go across the line and the leading edge skies up towards long-off, Steyn runs in and puts down a dolly
Ball 3: Tahir to Avishka, no run, this is excellent bowling. Tahir is showing his experience here. Slowed it up after a couple of darts, Fernando wanted to play the slog sweep and is beaten by the slowness on the ball, turns away past the swinging blade
Ball 2: Tahir to Avishka Fernando, no run, dropped! de Kock has put it down. Another quicker delivery dug into the surface, Fernando wanted to crash it into the off-side and gets an outside edge, de Kock is done in by the bounce and he spills it
Field changes for Avishka. More conventional field set this time..
Ball 1: Tahir to Thisara, 1 run, no air whatsoever, pushed through slider on middle and leg, Thisara can't get underneath it completely as he manages to pull it to deep mid-wicket, just a single
The umpires are waiting. The players are waiting. Avishka Fernando is going to come out with Thisara. Rixon has a last minute talk. South Africa in a huddle. Here they come.. Tahir to bowl.. Thisara has sent back the helmet as he marks his guard. Big call from Faf to go with a spinner.. No one apart from short third man inside the ring on the off-side. We're ready to go one final time tonight..
Sri Lanka need 15 runs. de Kock has the gloves. South Africa don't want to take any chances with Miller. But the question will be who will bowl for the hosts. Tahir has been bowling a lot. Is it going to be? If so, it will be a brave move from Faf. Tense faces in the two dressing rooms. The crowd are much more relaxed now than they were in that final over. If Sri Lanka get 14, then South Arica will win because of their superior boundary count.
Ball 6: Malinga to Miller, 2 runs, full delivery with a bit of pace robbed, Miller drills the drive straight back at Malinga, who gets a hand and takes the pace off the ball, enough time for the duo to come back for the second
Ball 5: Malinga to Miller, FOUR, these are handy runs. Malinga goes for the slower yorker around off, Miller was waiting for it, the predictably made him delay the drive and get it past the mid-off fielder. There's no stopping that
Ball 4: Malinga to Miller, no run, oh! That was a dipping full toss, Miller shuffled across and is deceived by the trajectory, he was surprised and by the time he made an attempt to play the big shot the ball was through him. He looks at the square leg umpire for a no-ball but it was below the waist