SL in SA: Sri Lanka record thrilling win to clinch T20 series

Niroshan Dickwella and Seekkuge Prasanna played anchor roles to guide Sri Lanka to an emphatic 5-wicket win in the third Twenty20 match against South Africa and seal the series 2-1 at Cape Town on Wednesday (25).

Electing to bat first South Africa posted 169-5 after AB de Villiers marked his return to the international stage with a smashing 63 off 44 balls with two fours and three sixes. 

Opener Reeza Hendricks clobbered 41 off 34 deliveries inclusive of four boundaries and wicketkeeper/batsman Mangaliso Mosehle remained unbeaten on 32 off 15 deliveries inclusive of a four and three sixes. 

Prasanna, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Kulasekara and Asela Gunaratne picked a wicket each. 

Chasing a challenging target of 170 for victory, Dickwella smashed 68 off 51 deliveries inclusive of 10 fours and a six while building up Sri Lanka's innings with a 71-run partnership for the third wicket with Dhananjaya de Silva. 

Coming down the order Prasanna took control of the batting after Dickwella's dismissal at 116, and took Sri Lanka towards the winning post with an unbeaten knock of 32 off 16 balls, which included three fours and three sixes with a delivery to spare. 

Dickwella was named the man-of-the-match and player of the series. 

South Africa 169 for 5 wickets (20) (JJ Smuts 19, Reeza Hendricks 41, AB de Villiers 63, Mangaliso Mosehle 32n.o.)

Sri Lanka 170 for 5 wickets (19.5) (Niroshan Dickwella 68, Upul Tharanga 20, Dhananjaya de Silva 19, Seekkuge Prasanna 37n.o, Imran Tahir 3/18)