Daijiworld Media Network
Hambantota, Aug 6: A warm welcome to one and all for the third and final T20I between Sri Lanka and South Africa from Hambantota. Sri Lanka are staring at humiliation and they will be going all out to avoid a 3-0 whitewash. A loss today for the hosts and they will lose their No.1 ranking in T20Is.
The latest news is that Malinga and Sangakkara are NOT playing in this match. South Africa are unchanged.
South Africa, on the other hand, have taken revenge on Sri Lanka for their 1-4 drubbing in the ODIs. If South Africa achieve the whitewash, they will be the third team after Ireland and Bangladesh to achieve a 3-0 whitewash in T20I history.
South Africa have won the toss and have opted to bat
Chandimal: 'We would have batted first. We have rotated the players around nicely and we will look to keep the No.1 ranking. Sangakkara and Malinga are out. Dilshan and Lakmal are in the team. We have to restrict them to 140.'
Faf du Plessis: 'I am doing something right with the toss. We will bat first. This is a huge game for us. We want to go home with a 3-0 scoreline. The team is unchanged. The guys are relaxed and this is the first time we have won here. This wicket will be slower and 140 will be a good score'
Teams:
Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kushal Janith Perera(w), Dinesh Chandimal(c), Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Sachithra Senanayake, Ajantha Mendis, Suranga Lakmal
South Africa (Playing XI): Henry Davids, Quinton de Kock(w), Faf du Plessis(c), Jean-Paul Duminy, AB de Villiers, David Miller, David Wiese, Wayne Parnell, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir, Lonwabo Tsotsobe
Match preview :
Having already clinched the T20I series, South Africa will be aiming for a clean-sweep when they take on the hosts Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I in Hambantota. For the Lankan side, which won the preceding ODI series, this game provides a chance to finish on a high and also end South Africa's unbeaten run against them in Twenty20 games.
Sri Lanka: The batsmen were solely to blame for the back-to-back losses that the home team suffered as barring Kumar Sangakkara, none showed any sort of application. In the opening game, nine Lankans were out for single-digit scores and while they were slightly better in the second match, with some of them getting starts, it was not enough to take Sri Lanka past the line. Now that the series is out of their hands, T20 skipper Dinesh Chandimal will expect the batsmen to play without any inhibitions and hope that some of the youngsters in the side come to the party.
The Lankan bowlers, who did a fine job in the opening game when they kept South Africa to 115/6, went for a few in the second match. While Nuwan Kulasekara and Sachitra Senanayake bowled economically as well as picking up two wickets apiece, Lasith Malinga and Angelo Mathews went at 8 an over while Ajantha Mendis gave away even more - going at more than 9. Sri Lanka will be hoping for the bowlers to come up with a disciplined effort in the final T20I to help the hosts end on a winning note.
South Africa: After the Proteas were outclassed in the ODIs, T20 skipper Faf du Plessis said they will fight back hard in the shortest format. While they have lived up to their promise, the batsmen, especially the top order, are yet to make an impact. Henry Davids, Quinton de Kock and du Plessis have failed in consecutive games, as has AB de Villiers, which will be a worry for the tourists. JP Duminy and David Miller, who have been doing the rescue work, will be hoping for the rest to contribute as well.
Good showing from the South African bowlers was the chief reason for the visiting team to clinch the series. While Duminy and Wayne Parnell starred with the ball in the opening game, Lonwabo Tsotsobe came up with a disciplined showing in both the matches. Morne Morkel has also served the Proteas well although the pacer has been a touch expensive. South Africa will be banking on the bowlers to deliver again and help the tourists return home happy.
Team News: While Dinesh Chandimal had indicated that Sri Lanka will go in with only two senior batters for each game, it is possible that all three - Dilshan, Mahela and Sangakkara - might play in this game as the hosts will be eager to avoid a white-wash. Sri Lanka are also likely to persist with Kusal Perera, who showed a lot of promise in the second match before being wrongly given out on 21. Meanwhile, the hosts are likely to go in with the same eleven and give the top order batsmen another opportunity to perform.
Quotes:
The youngsters need to do well. We have one more game, we need to win that match: Dinesh Chandimal
We will come fighting hard in our last match. We want to finish off with a victory: Faf du Plessis