SL vs SA Ball by Ball Commentary

FOUR! Done and dusted! South Africa win their first game and begin their T20 World Cup campaign on a positive note after huffing and puffing a bit on a tricky surface to chase a paltry score. Wanindu Hasaranga offers a dolly full toss on the stumps, David Miller skips down the track and smashes it down the ground, the ball beats the chasing long on fielder and breaches the fence to wrap things up in style.

Short and outside off, Heinrich Klaasen punches it off the back foot towards deep extra covers for one.

An appeal for LBW but the umpire is unmoved. Wanindu Hasaranga straightaway challenges the on-field decision and sends it upstairs. Maheesh Theekshana bowls a carrom ball on a flatter trajectory, quicker as well, on a length and keeps way low on the bounce on the leg stump line, David Miller is back into the crease and looks to tuck it away, but gets a ping on the front pad. The UltraEdge comes up and shows that no bat is involved. Ball Tracking confirms that the ball is pitching outside leg.

Short and quick, turning in from off, Heinrich Klaasen pulls it over square leg for a single.

Good length, outside off, Heinrich Klaasen punches it off the back foot straight to covers.

On a flatter trajectory, comes quicker on the bat on a length, David Miller reads the length and pace before pulling it towards deep mid-wicket for one.

Short in length and on the middle and off-channel, Heinrich Klaasen backs away and knocks it down to long on for a single.

Flattens it on a length, on top of off, Heinrich Klaasen rocks back quickly and punches it back to the bowler.

Fuller in length, and on off, David Miller goes deep inside the crease and drives it straight back to the bowler to end the over. Just 6 needed now.

Short and just outside off, Heinrich Klaasen pulls it solidly to widish deep mid-wicket for one.

FOUR! Down the ground and now Klaasen's in a hurry! Drops it right underneath the bat on the stumps, Heinrich Klaasen clears his front leg and spanks the ball, picking the bones of out it, straight down the ground over the bowler's head for a cracking four.

SIX! BOOM! A pressure release hit by Heinrich Klaasen! Not quite the correct option by Wanindu Hasaranga, loopy delivery and right in the slot, on middle, Heinrich Klaasen clears his front leg and winds up before tonking it over long on for a biggie.

Good effort off his own bowling! On a nagging length, on off, Heinrich Klaasen punches it firmly to the left of the bowler. Hasaranga dives to that side and cuts it off.

Slower through the air and shorter, on off, Heinrich Klaasen checks his shot and pushes it to cover.

Another excellent yorker! Nails the yorker, at the base of the middle stump, Heinrich Klaasen is equal to the task though as he jams it out beside the pitch on the leg side for one. 17 more needed.

At 151.1 kph, full and angling into the pads, David Miller gets his bat out in front of the pads and rolls his wrists to clip it wide of mid-wicket for a single.

Tailing into the stumps, on a yorker length, Heinrich Klaasen looks to play at it but gets an inside edge that rolls down to fine leg for one.

Gets the yorker in, outside off, Heinrich Klaasen squeezes it out with an open bat face towards backward point where Sadeera Samarawickrama dives to his left and prevents the single.

Almost chipped it straight to cover! A hint of away movement, on a nagging length, on off, Heinrich Klaasen lets his hands flow into the shot and pushes it uppishly. Luckily for him, the ball lands in front of cover.

Serves it in the channel on off, on a good length, the ball stops in the surface. Heinrich Klaasen waits on it and pats it to cover.

Attacks the pads with a leg-break, full as well, David Miller presses forward and works it with the turn to square leg.

OUT! CAUGHT! Sharp catch by Charith Asalanka and Wanindu Hasaranga strikes in successive overs. Loops it up nicely and offers a bit of width on off. Tristan Stubbs gets his weight on the front foot and tries to cash in on the width. Creams the drive off the front foot but hits it flat and straight to cover where Charith Asalanka reacts quickly and makes a tough catch look easy, diving low to his left. A few inches to the left or right would have been a boundary for Stubbs.

Dishes out a googly, slower as well, on off, Tristan Stubbs goes for the big shot but the ball is not full enough. Checks his shot and dabs it to point.

Drops it short, on off, Heinrich Klaasen slaps it off the back foot and it goes on the bounce to long on. They cross.

On a nagging length, turning away, on middle, played with the turn to mid-wicket by Heinrich Klaasen.

Floats it up, full and on middle, Heinrich Klaasen gets half-forward and blocks it out.

A sharp and quick bumper, around off, Tristan Stubbs sways away from the line of the ball and lets it pass.

Misses his mark does Matheesha Pathirana and slips in a low full toss, at the stumps, Tristan Stubbs clips it through mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Oh, wow! Heinrich Klaasen does just enough to get some bat on it. At 151 kph, toe-crushing yorker, on middle and leg, Heinrich Klaasen gets rushed as he looks to bring his bat down. He falls off his feet but gets it off the inner half of the bat towards deep backward square leg for a single.

Hurls it on a fullish length, outside off, Tristan Stubbs reaches out and drives it through covers for a single.

An optimistic shout for LBW but that is clearly going down leg. Goes fuller in length but the line is around the pads, Heinrich Klaasen gets beaten for pace as he attempts the flick. Gets pinged on the front pad and it rolls down to fine leg for a leg bye.

Hurls it on a back of a length, outside off, Heinrich Klaasen hops back and drops his wrists to let the ball go.

Drops the length back and it is the googly, on off, Heinrich Klaasen picks it early and gets on the back foot to punch it down to long off for a run.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Quinton de Kock is crossed with himself with the manner of his dismissal. Wanindu Hasaranga stays around the wicket and pulls the length back slightly, on middle, Quinton de Kock strides ahead and looks to push it back past the bowler. The ball stops in the surface a bit and de Kock ends up chipping it straight back towards the bowler. Wanindu Hasaranga takes it to his left safely.

At the stumps and keeps it full, Quinton de Kock presses forward and stabs it down the deck.

Loops it up and goes full as well, Quinton de Kock presses forward and taps it with soft hands in front of deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Dishes out a googly but it is way too short, on middle and leg, Tristan Stubbs helps it behind square on the leg side for a run.

Starts off with a flighted delivery, on middle, Quinton de Kock gets on the front foot and clips it wide of mid-wicket for a single.

On off, on a fuller length at 151 kph, Quinton de Kock plants his front ahead and confidently knocks it through covers for a single to end the over. Halfway done and South Africa are 47/2.

WIDE! Vicious bumper over the head of the southpaw, Quinton de Kock is in no mood to look at it. Wided.

Full and straight, curving into the batter a fraction, Tristan Stubbs plays with a straight bat towards mid on where Angelo Mathews is a bit late to pick the ball and the batters alertly take a single.

Short, wide of off, Quinton de Kock climbs on the bounce and cuts it towards deep backward point for a single.

At 150 kph, on the length, it takes off from the surface outside off, Quinton de Kock is beaten on the outside edge again.

Hits the hard length, angling away with that lateral movement from outside off, Quinton de Kock stays rooted in the crease and plays a lazy shot. The ball just flirts past his outside edge.

Steams in from over the wicket, on the length at the leg stump line, Tristan Stubbs flicks it nicely along the ground towards backward square leg for a single.

Hard length, angling on off, Tristan Stubbs punches it off the back foot towards mid on and robs a quick single to end the over.

Fuller in length, on middle and leg, Quinton de Kock watches it closely and flicks it with his wrists towards deep square leg for a single.

Outside off, on a length, Tristan Stubbs slices it half-squatting at it through cover-point for an easy single.

Almost a half-tracker on the off-stump line, Tristan Stubbs charges down the ground but the ball is too closer to drive it away, he knocks it back to the bowler.

Pulls his length a bit on off, Tristan Stubbs camps back and bunts it underneath the bat off the back foot.

Full and angling on the middle and off, Tristan Stubbs presents the full face of the willow and solidly drives it but fails to find the gap between mid off and covers.

On a good length, on off, Quinton de Kock pushes it towards covers for no run.

SIX! That's a typical QDK pull shot! Angelo Mathews lands this one short in length, and on the middle and leg corridor, Quinton de Kock has all the time in the world as he transfers his weight on the back foot, and creates a strong base for himself before pulling it well over deep square leg for a maximum.

On the nagging length, swinging away from outside off, Tristan Stubbs guides it down to deep third for one.

Almost chopped on! An away swinger outside off, Tristan Stubbs pokes at it and gets an inside edge on his back leg.

Drop and run! Pitches it on a length, on off, Quinton de Kock gets on the front foot and pats it beside the pitch on the off side for a quick single.

Bowls at a gentle pace outside off, on a length, Tristan Stubbs inside edges on the drive and the ball reaches to the keeper on a bounce but he fails to cleanly collect it which allows the batters to cross for a single.

Back of a length on the body, Tristan Stubbs tucks it in the square leg region for a single.

Honing in at the stumps, on a good length, Tristan Stubbs works it wide of mid on and retains the strike with a single.

Fuller in length and outside off, at 125 kph, Tristan Stubbs leans into it and mistimes the drive to mid off.

Short of good length on leg, Quinton de Kock inside edges on his back leg and fetches a quick run as the ball rolls in front of covers.

Straight and on the good length, outside off, Tristan Stubbs covers his off stump, gets his front foot ahead and knocks it solidly towards the right of backward point for a quick single.

Feeds him on the leg stump line, full in length, Tristan Stubbs flicks it straight to mid-wicket.

Attacks the off stump on a fuller length, with a bit of an away movement, Tristan Stubbs presents the full face of the bat but gets it off the thickish inside edge towards short mid-wicket for a single to end the over. End of the mandatory Powerplay and South Africa are 27/2.

Nice tight line and length, in the corridor of uncertainty. It again keeps low on the bounce, Tristan Stubbs gets squared up and the ball beats his outside edge, and dies before reaching to the keeper on a couple of bounces.

Back of a length again, but down the leg stump line this time, Tristan Stubbs fails to tickle it to the leg side and the ball brushes off his front thigh pad and rolls towards deep fine for two leg byes.

On the back of a length, moving it in a fraction from off, Quinton de Kock plays it closer to the body and knocks it in front of covers for a quick single.

Bowls fuller in length and keeps the line on the stumps, Quinton de Kock slaps it down the ground where Wanindu Hasaranga stops it moving to his right from mid on.

Over the wicket, outside off on a length, it dramatically keeps low on the bounce and beats the inside edge of Quinton de Kock who tries to slash it away to the off side. The ball dies before reaching to the keeper who collects it by bending low to his right.

OH, NO! DROPPED! Kusal Mendis puts it down! Sri Lanka cannot afford this! Dasun Shanaka hits the deck hard and gets the ball to seam away off the deck, outside off, Tristan Stubbs stays on the back foot and looks to punch it through the off side. Plays away from his body and gets an outside edge that goes low to the right of the keeper. Kusal Mendis dives to his right but goes at it with hard hands and it pops out of his mitts.

Serves it at 125.1 kph, on a short of a good length, a hint of inward movement, Tristan Stubbs adjusts well and pushes it to cover.

Delivers it on a hard length, on off, Tristan Stubbs stands tall and blocks it out from the crease solidly.

WIDE! There looked to be a deflection but the umpire has signalled a wide. Kusal Mendis takes it diving away to his left and Sri Lanka think the deflection is off the bat. Wanindu Hasaranga takes the review but the UltraEdge shows that the ball had flicked the pads and there was no bat involved. Strays on the pads, on a back of a length, Tristan Stubbs is late on the tickle but misses to get any bat on it. Worth a review though.

OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Dasun Shanaka strikes now and Sri Lanka aren't going to go down without a fight! Gets the ball to angle back into the right-hander, on a short of a good length, on middle and leg, Aiden Markram shapes up to work it off his pads. The ball pitches and nips away. Squares Markram up completely and the ball catches the leading edge of the bat. It goes to the first slip where Kamindu Mendis dives low to his right and takes it.

Starts from over the wicket and bangs it on a hard length, around off, Aiden Markram stays back in his crease and defends it right under his eyeline.

Gets the yorker in nicely, just outside off, Quinton de Kock reacts well and squeezes it out off the toe-end of the bat back to the bowler.

Beaten! At 133.1 kph, full and just outside off, Quinton de Kock goes for an expansive drive but the ball nips in a bit and stays low as well. It goes on the bounce to the keeper, Kusal Mendis who takes a hit on the fingertips of his right hand.

Drags the length back and angles it in, around the pads, Aiden Markram gets on his toes and turns this one through square leg to rotate the strike.

Drifts on the pads and the length stays full, Aiden Markram brings his wrists into play and flicks it wide of mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

SIX! Class written all over it! Thushara gets away shape on this one but ends up offering width on off and it is fuller as well, Aiden Markram gets his weight on the front foot, frees his arms and with a still head, carves it over cover for a maximum.

Goes full and straight, at the stumps, Aiden Markram gets his bat out in front and pushes it with a straight bat back to the bowler.

This one goes the other way, in the corridor of off, on a good length, Aiden Markram extends his arms and drives it square to deep point for one. End of a testing over from Mathews.

There's that nip-backer again, on a good length, on off and middle, Aiden Markram watchfully covers the line of the ball and dead-bats it down the wicket.

Slanting into the right-hander, on a back of a length, on the pads, Aiden Markram hops back and tucks it to mid-wicket.

Ouch, Aiden Markram cops a blow flush on the box! Nipping into the batter, on a hard length, Aiden Markram advances again to get momentum into the shot and looks to go back over the bowler's head. The ball seams back in sharply and rises a bit to hit Markram on the box. Markram is down on his haunches and the physio makes his way out to attend to him.

An absolute beauty! At 121 kph, on a back of a length, on off, Aiden Markram uses his feet and tries to keep it out with a straight bat. The ball seams away off the deck and whizzes past the bat.

Angling in, on a good length, on middle, Aiden Markram hangs back and rides the bounce well to defend it in front of cover.

Swinging away, on a fullish length, on off, Aiden Markram presents a high elbow and pushes it to the left of Wanindu Hasaranga at mid off for a run.

Pitches it up right up in search of swing, on middle, Quinton de Kock clips it wide of mid-wicket and gets to the other end.

Strays on the pads, on a length, Aiden Markram rolls his wrists and nudges it behind square on the leg side for a single.

OUT! EDGED AND TAKEN! Proper Test match line by Nuwan Thushara and he gets the reward!  Drags his length back and serves it on a good length, in the channel on off. Reeza Hendricks stays rooted in his crease and plays a nothing shot as he tentatively pushes at the delivery away from his body. Gets an outside edge that flies straight to Kamindu Mendis at first slip who takes a sharp catch to his left.

Almost chopped it back onto the stumps! Nails the yorker around the base of the off-stump, Quinton de Kock is a bit late to get his bat down but does enough. Gets an inside edge that sneaks past the stumps for a single.

Tailing back in, on a fullish length, on middle, Quinton de Kock clears his front leg and hacks across the line. Hits it to the right of deep square leg for a couple of runs.

NO BALL! False start from Nuwan Thushara! Goes searching for the yorker but ends up serving a beamer, outside off. Quinton de Kock lets it go. Free Hit coming up.

FOUR! Reeza Hendricks gets off the mark in streaky fashion! This is in the channel on off and shaping away, on a good length, Reeza Hendricks pushes at the delivery away from his body. Gets a thickish outside edge that races through backward point for a boundary.

Angling across, on a short of a good length, outside off, Quinton de Kock frees his arms and cuts it towards deep backward point. Gets a single to open his account.

WIDE! Angelo Mathews loses his radar and South Africa are underway through extras! Slips it down leg, on a back of a length, Quinton de Kock misses the tickle but Kusal Mendis does well to dive to his right and make the stop.

Pulls his length back slightly and bowls it on middle, Quinton de Kock waits on the back foot and whips it with the swing towards mid-wicket where Dasun Shanaka makes a diving stop. Four dots on the trot to start with.

Keeps it around the off-stump line, a bit fuller and going away, Quinton de Kock presses forward and stabs it down the deck.

Gets the ball to shape away from the left-hander, on a back of a length, Quinton de Kock reads it well and dabs it square to point.

Mathews starts off from over the wicket and gets a hint of inward movement, on a length, on the fifth stump line, Quinton de Kock goes back in his crease and blocks it out solidly with a straight bat.