South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 2nd T20I - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Hello and welcome to the Live Blog of the second Twenty20 International at the New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg. A new look South African team got the better of Sri Lanka in the opening Twenty20 International (T20I) and they will be eager to extend the visitors' agony in the tour in a bid to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

In the Centurion game that was reduced to 10 overs per side, David Miller and skipper Farhaan Behardien starred with the bat with blistering knocks before the 20-year-old pacer Lungi Ngidi picked up 2 for 12 on debut to hand the hosts a 19-run victory. Others too chipped in with useful efforts, which augurs well for the side, which despite its inexperience looks set to extend South Africa's unbeaten run in the series.

While Sri Lanka put up a better effort as compared to their dismal showing in the Test series, they were still found wanting in all departments. Niroshan Dickwella's 19-ball 43 and Dhananjaya de Silva's 27 were the only spirited performances from the Sri Lankan team, whose middle order failed to turn up yet again in the series. Their bowling too left a lot to be desired. Unless Sri Lanka come up with a collective effort, all they can do is pray for their shambolic tour to end quickly.

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Although there has been a lot of rain around Johannesburg, the match is expected to start on time. Hopefully, this won't be a curtailed affair.

South Africa skipper Farhaan Behardien won the toss and decided to bat first. The hosts have gone in with an unchanged eleven. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have made a couple of changes. Nuwan Pradeep misses out due to an injury while Suranga Lakmal, who only bowled one over in the previous game and conceded 18 runs, has been left out. Isuru Udana and Lakshan Sandakan are the replacements in the eleven, with the latter featuring in his maiden T20I.

Teams:

South Africa (Playing XI): Heino Kuhn, JJ Smuts, Theunis de Bruyn, David Miller, Farhaan Behardien(c), Mangaliso Mosehle(w), Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Aaron Phangiso, Imran Tahir, Lungisani Ngidi

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Niroshan Dickwella, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews(c), Dinesh Chandimal(w), Asela Gunaratne, Thikshila de Silva, Seekkuge Prasanna, Nuwan Kulasekara, Isuru Udana, Lakshan Sandakan

JJ Smuts gets off the mark with a boundary behind square in the opening over. However, it is a tidy start from the Sri Lankan skipper Mathews, bowls five dot deliveries apart from the boundary-yielding third ball of the match. Nuwan Kulasekara backs up Mathews efforts with a fine over and has lucky going his way too - Smuts glances one to short fine where debutant Sandakan hold on to a good, low catch. South Africa are 6 for 1 after two overs.

Theunis de Bruyn would have been a goner as he was stranded midway down the pitch after being turned back by Heino Kuhn in the third over. However, luckily for him, Niroshan Dickwella misses a direct hit and gives the South African No. 3 a lucky break. In the same over, de Bruyn manages a streaky boundary to fine leg. Luck seems to be going his way, for now.

Isuru Udana strikes in his first over as de Bruyn clips one straight to Dhananjaya de Silva at deep square-leg. He departs for 7 off 6, leaving South Africa at 13 for 2 in the fourth over.