Hashim Amla's composed fifty after an inspired bowling show helped South Africa beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets to notch up a consolation win in World Twenty20 in New Delhi yesterday, reports AFP. Chasing a modest 121 for victory in an inconsequential final league match, the Proteas rode on Amla's unbeaten 56 to canter home in 17.4 overs and get some pride back in the sixth edition of the tournament. After losing opener Quiton de Kock early in their chase, Amla and skipper Faf Du Plessis stitched a 60-run second wicket stand to make things easy for their team. Du Plessis was trapped LBW off Suranga Lakmal for 31 runs in the 12th over.
Amla, who struck his fifth T20 half-century, made sure that there were no more hiccups as he stitched a 47-run unbeaten partnership with AB de Villiers (20), who hit a massive six to seal the win. "We chased down a small total, it's never easy on these wickets, it's always very tricky," Du Plessis told reporters at New Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla stadium. "It's very bitter sweet. We are going back to South Africa out of the World Cup and it's not where we wanted to be and we got only ourselves to blame," he added. In the first half of the game, the Proteas bowlers restricted holders Sri Lanka for 120 runs in 19.3 overs after Du Plessis opted to field first. Sri Lankan opening pair, Dinesh Chandimal (21) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (36), did give the team a brisk start but soon lost the momentum after losing a couple of wickets.