JP Duminy took a hat-trick as bowlers of South Africa established a crushing nine-wicket victory in the quarterfinals of the World Cup on Sri Lanka in Sydney on Wednesday.
South Africa, so usually labeled ‘chokers’ World, completed an emphatic victory by finishing 134 for one with 32 overs to spare.
Quinton de Kock, who had managed just 53 runs in six innings this past World Cup, was 78 not out after hitting the limit to win – his 12th four – off paceman Lasith Malinga.
Faf du Plessis was unbeaten on 21. The win meant the Proteas had, after several heartbreaking setbacks that started at the SCG with a semifinal loss affected by rain to England in 1992, they finally won a game knockout in World Cup.
They will face the winners of Saturday’s game between New Zealand and the West Indies in a semifinal in Auckland on March 24.
South Africa’s victory meant no fairytale farewell to the great Sri Lankan batting Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, for whom this was his last international day before retirement.
The couple, leading members of the band of Sri Lanka, who lost the final of the World Cup 2007 and 2011, had been desperate to finish with a flourish.
South African Jean-Paul Duminy celebrates after taking a hat-trick against Sri Lanka in the quarterfinals of the World Cup at the Sydney Cricket Ground. (Photo Reuters)
But record run of four successive ODI hundreds Sangakkara finally came to an end, but the left-hander, who plans to continue in Test cricket, top-scored with 45.
Jayawardene, who already was out of the five-day format, could only manage four on Wednesday.
Sangakkara and fellow lefty Lahiru Thirimanne (41) put on 65 for the third window
But otherwise there was little resistance on a good batting pitch, with Sri Lanka – the winners of the World Cup 1996 – losing four wickets for two runs in nine balls, as they fell to 116 for eight.
South African bowlers often eclipsed in ODI cricket by his most famous batsmen, Sri Lanka dominated from the start.
Kusal Perera, promoted to open the innings, fell for three years when Kyle Abbott rose and was brilliantly caught the left at the second attempt by De Kock as wicket-keeper threw himself in front of the first sheet.
Tillakaratne Dilshan then was out for a duck seven minutes, edging fast bowler Dale Steyn low to du Plessis at second slip.
Thirimanne, who struck five fours, came when he made a simple return catch to man-of-the-match Tahir.
