SL vs SA 3rd ODI Commentary - Colombo (07 September 2021)

Floated it up on off, Maharaj blocks it out. 

FOUR! Excellent shot! Tossed up on off, Keshav Maharaj prods, presents the full face of the bat and lofts it over mid off for a boundary. 

Full and outside off, driven towards cover. 

Loopy ball on middle. Maharaj pushes it back to the bowler.

Around off, Maharaj pushes it to extra cover. 

OUT! TAKEN! Four wickets on debut for Maheesh Theekshana. He bowls a carrom ball, around off. Keshav Maharaj looks to defend it off the front foot. The ball goes off the outside edge back to Dinesh Chandimal who takes the catch behind the stumps. SRI LANKA WIN BY 78 RUNS. 

Tossed it up, on off. Shamsi blocks it on the off side.

On leg, Shamis looks to flick but misses. The ball brushes his pads and goes through to the keeper.

Loopy ball on middle. Tabraiz Shamsi looks to defend but gets an outside edge towards the first slip fielder. 

A googly on off, Shamsi dabs it to backward point.

Floated it up, on off. Tabraiz Shamsi looks to cut but misses. 

Tossed up outside off, Tabraiz Shamsi swings his bat hard but inside-edges it onto the pads.

Loopy ball outside off, Tabraiz Shamsi looks to drive but gets an outside edge. The ball goes past the slip fielder. He gives it a chase and keeps it down to three. 

Full and on off, Maharaj pushes it towards point for a single.

Full again, on off. Tabraiz Shamsi lifts it to long on for just a single.

Floated it up, on middle and leg. Keshav Maharaj blocks it out.

On off, Maharaj watchfully defends it out.

Floated it up, outside off. Maharaj works it to mid-wicket. 

Floated it up on middle, tucked on the leg side. 

Flighted delivery on middle, Tabraiz Shamsi rocks back and looks to cut it away but gets the inner half of the bat and the ball drops on the leg side.

On middle, nudged to mid-wicket for one.

Loopy ball outside off, Maharaj dabs it towards backward point for a single.

A googly, on middle. Tabraiz Shamsi looks to drive but inside-edges it onto the pads. 

On middle, Shamsi mishits his slog-sweep towards deep mid-wicket for a single.

DROPPED! Mickey Arthur is not happy with the dropped catch. Loopy ball on middle, Keshav Maharaj heaves it to long on. The fielder there settles under it but spills it out. It wouldn't have mattered anyway as it is a NO BALL. Not enough fielders inside the circle! Naughty Shanaka!

FOUR! Tossed up on leg, Keshav Maharaj smacks it towards long off for a boundary. 

Full and on off, driven through covers. The fielder gives it a chase and keeps it to three. 

A slider, on middle. Tabraiz Shamsi blocks it out.

Three runs again! Loopy ball outside off, Tabraiz Shamsi drives it through covers. Three runs taken.

Tossed up, on the pads. Keshav Maharaj is solid in his defense. 

Tossed up, full and on off. Pushed back to the bowler.

NOT OUT! Tossed up ball, on middle. Linde gets low and tries to sweep but misses. He gets rapped on the front pad. Hasaranga appeals for an LBW and the umpire straightaway raises his dreaded finger. Linder immediately opts for a review. UltraEdge shows there is no bat involved. Ball Tracking shows that the ball is pitching outside leg. George Linde survives. 

 OUT! TAKEN! No third umpire is needed for that. Hasaranga bowls a loopy ball on middle. George Linde gets down on one knee and mistimes his sweep. The ball goes off the top edge towards deep mid-wicket. Kamindu Mendis is stationed there and takes the catch with ease. Sri Lanka one wicket away now. 

Floated it up on middle, tucked on the leg side. 

Full and on off, Tabraiz Shamsi blocks it out.

Loopy ball on off, Tabraiz Shamsi looks to heave on the leg side but gets the bottom half of the bat to mid on.

A googly on off, too short though. Tabraiz Shamsi defends it off the back foot.

Loopy ball outside off, Kagiso Rabada looks to defend but misses. The ball zips past the outside edge. 

Full and on middle, Kagiso Rabada digs it out. 

On the pads, Rabada looks to flick but misses. He gets hit on the pads.

On off, Rabada taps it to cover. 

 OUT! CAUGHT! Very very good work in the field. South Africa slip further and further away. Maheesh Theekshana bowls a loopy ball, around off. He took the pace off the ball. Kagiso Rabada stays deep and looks to defend but is beaten by the pace. The ball goes off the outside edge and flies towards the first slip fielder where Dhananjaya de Silva dives forward to take the catch.

Short and outside off, Keshav Maharaj steers it through covers for a couple of runs. 

Full and on off, pushed down to long off for a single.

Loopy ball on off, Linde pushes it to the off side.

Tossed up on off, Linde hits it to long off for one.

On middle, blocked out by Rabada. 

FOUR! Kagiso Rabada can play some shots. Loopy ball, outside off. Kagiso Rabada lifts it to wide of long off. The fielder there tries to stop the ball but misfields and concedes a boundary. 

This is tapped to cover-point for one.

 OUT! TAKEN! Just when the partnership started to bloom for South Africa, Charith Asalanka provides with a breakthrough. What a bowling change from Dasun Shanaka. Gets Charith Asalanka into play and he does not disappoint. Strikes a wicket off the first ball. He bowls a flatter delivery outside off, Andile Phehlukwayo rocks back and looks to cut it but miscues. The ball stays a little low and goes off the bottom edge to the keeper. Dinesh Chandimal does well to grab it behind the sticks.  

On off, pushed to cover for one.

Flighted delivery outside off, driven to long off for one.

Flatter ball on middle, Kagiso Rabada blocks it out from the crease.

Tossed up outside off, pushed to cover.

Slower through the air, outside off. Kagiso Rabada drives it towards deep cover for a single. 

FOUR! In the gap! Short and outside off, Andile Phehlukwayo rocks back and cuts it through covers for a boundary. 

Loopy ball around off, Andile Phehlukwayo looks to defend but misses. 

Floated it up on middle, blocked out.

Tossed it up, on off. Andile Phehlukwayo punches it towards long off for one.

Full and on off, George Linde pushes it to wide of long off for a single.

The ball was in the air, but did not carry! Loopy ball outside off, Andile Phehlukwayo drives it to short extra cover. The fielder dives to his right but only gets fingertips to it. The ball rolls further away towards long off and a single is taken.

On off, pushed to long off for a single.

WIDE! Missed stumping! Tossed up down the leg side, Phehlukwayo dances down the track and looks to flick but misses. Chandimal is blinded by the batsman and fails to hold the ball. Wided.

NOT OUT! Wickets missing! Nervous moment for Andile but what a review. That looked dead, if it was not bat. Flatter ball on middle, Phehlukwayo looked to defend with the bat behind his pad and was hit. Now, to the naked eye, it seemed like it hit the bat. But Sri Lanka put up an appeal for LBW and the finger went up. Phehlukwayo took the review after thinking for a while. The first thing the third umpire checks is whether there was an inside edge. The first replay shows that the ball hit the pad, then the bat and later, rolled to the on side. From that angle, it did seem like the angle will take the ball down the leg side, as Theekshana was bowling it from around the wicket. Then came the Ball Tracker which showed that it will miss the stumps, going down the leg side! Linde has to be credited for saving his partner here as he insisted on taking the review.

Flatter on off, Phehlukwayo plays it back to the bowler who misfields and a single is taken.

On off, kept out.

Flatter ball outside off, Linde punches it to cover.

FOUR! Poor delivery! Short and outside off, Linde thrashes it through the cover region for a boundary.

Flatter ball outside off, Phehlukwayo punches it to deep cover for one.

Floated on off, Linde defends it to cover.

Quicker ball outside off, Linde punches it to deep cover for one.

Short and outside off, played to long off for one.

Full on middle, Linde looks to defend but it goes off the inside edge to the leg side.

Flighted on middle, Linde pushes it past the bowler to long on for a run.

Floated on middle, Phehlukwayo defends it back to the bowler.

Flatter ball on off, Phehlukwayo defends it to cover.

Tossed up on middle, Phehlukwayo dances down the track and looks to defend but gets hit on the pads.

Quicker ball around off, Phehlukwayo looks to defend but it goes off the inside edge to the leg side. A single taken.

Flatter ball outside off, Linde looks to punch it but gets an inside edge to the leg side.

Full on off, Linde defends it to the off side.

Full on off, Phehlukwayo looks to reverse sweep it but gets hit on the pads.

FOUR! Misfield! Tossed up on middle, Phehlukwayo sweeps it to deep square leg. The fielder runs across, but overruns the ball and it goes for a boundary.

FOUR WIDES! Loopy ball down the leg side, Phehlukwayo looks to flick but misses. The keeper fumbles too. The fielder gives it a chase and pulls it back in just before the ropes. The batters take three.

Flighted ball outside off, Linde looks to defend but misses.

Tossed up on middle and leg, Linde looks to sweep but misses and gets hit on the pads. An appeal is made for LBW but the umpire says no.

Flighted ball outside off, Linde looks to swing it away but it goes off the outside edge to third man for two.

FOUR! Swept away! Full on the pads, Linde sweeps it to deep square leg. Kamindu Mendis misfields and concedes a boundary.

Flatter ball outside off, Klaasen looks to cut but misses.

OUT! LBW! All reds it is and Klaasen departs! Is that the game for Sri Lanka? What a delivery from Maheesh Theekshana. Tossed up on middle, Klaasen looks to flick but misses and gets hit on the pads. Sri Lanka appeal and up goes the finger. Klaasen takes the review. The UltraEdge shows no bat and Klaasen starts walking after watching that. Then the Ball Tracker confirms that he is a goner. What a debut it has been for Theekshana.

Flatter ball on the pads, Linde looks to defend but misses and gets hit on the pads. An appeal is made for LBW but the umpire is not interested.

Full on middle and leg, Linde looks to flick but it goes off the leading edge to point.

Tossed up on off, Linde defends it to cover.

WIDE! Full, down the leg side, Linde looks to flick but misses. Wided.

Full on the pads, Linde flicks it through mid-wicket for a couple.

Floated it up on middle, Andile Phehlukwayo stays deep and blocks it out. 

A googly on middle. Andile Phehlukwayo looks to work it on the leg side but outside-edges it towards cover. 

Loopy ball on off, Andile Phehlukwayo looks to sweep but gets hit on the pads. The ball rolls on the leg side and the batters take a leg bye. Half-hearted appeal for an LBW from the keeper but turned down. 

Full and on middle, swept to square leg.

Full again, on leg. Heinrich Klaasen sweeps it to mid-wicket for a single.

Full and on middle, turning in. Andile Phehlukwayo looks to defend but gets an inside edge towards backward square. 

Full and outside off, Heinrich Klaasen whips it on the leg side. 

On middle, swept towards backward square leg.

Loopy ball on off, Andile Phehlukwayo punches it towards short cover. Wanindu Hasaranga dives to stop the ball. 

Tossed up, outside off. Andile Phehlukwayo looks to defend but misses. The ball whizzes past the outside edge. 

NOT OUT! Floated it up on leg, Andile Phehlukwayo looks to play it on the leg side off the back foot but misses. He gets hit on the pads. Maheesh Theekshana appeals for an LBW but the umpire says no. Sri Lanka opt for a review. UltraEdge shows a spike as the ball passes the bat. So, perhaps that came off the inside edge. Sri Lanka lose a review. 

This is pushed down to long off for a single. 

Floated it up on off, blocked out. 

Loopy ball just around off, turning away. The ball stays a little low as well. Andile Phehlukwayo looks to defend but gets beaten on the outside edge. 

Outside off, Andile Phehlukwayo reverse-sweeps it but does not hit it off the middle. The ball rolls towards point for one.

Tossed up on off, Andile Phehlukwayo defends it out off the front foot. 

Full, tossed up, on off. Andile Phehlukwayo gets low and tries to sweep but misses. He gets hit on the front pad. Wanindu Hasaranga and Sri Lanka appeal for an LBW but the umpire shakes his head. After a lot of thinking, Sri Lanka do not opt for a review.

Loopy ball on middle and leg, Andile Phehlukwayo looks to clip but deflects it off the pads to backward square leg. There was a slight mixup but Andile Phehlukwayo returns to the crease in time. 

Loopy ball around off, Andile Phehlukwayo blocks it out. 

Full and on middle, pushed back to the bowler.

Loopy ball, full and on middle. Pushed back to the bowler.

Outside off, Andile Phehlukwayo pushes it to point for a single.

Beauty! Tossed up around off, Heinrich Klaasen looks to defend it off the back foot anticipating that the ball will turn in. But it does not and Klaasen gets beaten on the outside edge. 

Floated it up outside off, Klaasen pushes it to the right of the bowler.

A low dipping full toss on middle. Wiaan Mulder drives it to long off for one.

Full and outside off. Heinrich Klaasen sweeps it towards fine leg for a single.

Almost dragged on! Wanindu Hasaranga bowls a googly on off, Wiaan Mulder does not pick it. He hangs back and looks to cut but inside-edges it. The ball goes over the stumps towards short fine leg. 

OUT! BOWLED! Wiaan Mulder misses it this time. Hasaranga bowls another googly, on middle. Wiaan Mulder puts a stride forward to defend but gets all squared up. The ball goes through the gap between the bat and pad and shatters the stumps behind him. South Africa lose half of their side for just 48 runs. They sink further. Sri Lanka bowlers are creating all sorts of trouble now. 

Another googly, full and on middle. Andile Phehlukwayo jams it out. 

In the air, but safe! Loopy ball on middle and leg, Andile Phehlukwayo gets low and looks to sweep but miscues. The ball goes off the top edge towards deep square leg for one. End of a successful over from Wanindu Hasaranga.

OUT! CAUGHT! It is a catch and Malan goes! Theekshana strikes off his first delivery in international cricket. What a moment for him and he will be very happy. Tossed up outside off, Malan looks to drive but it goes off the outside edge to first slip where Dhananjaya de Silva takes the catch. Let's stop here for a moment and describe this in two different parts. First part. Is it a catch? Sri Lanka are celebrating. But Malan is going nowhere. He stands there, thinking that the ball has hit the ground and then gone to the fielder. The two umpires converge and then raise it upstairs, with the soft signal as OUT. Here comes the replay. Pretty straightforward. The bat has hit the ground and the ball has gone off the outside edge. Pretty sure, Malan would have felt the bat hitting the ground as a bump ball, hence, wanted confirmation. Now, the second part. How good a catch was that from Mr. Dhananjaya de Silva? Very, very, very. Magnificently brilliant. We are running short of adjectives. Yes, it was a spinner. Yes, the ball does come slowly as compared to that of a fast bowler. But this one, just flew right at his face. De Silva just showed his reflex action and at the right moment, got his hands in front of his face and the ball went right into those buckets. My word, that is simply sensational. Congratulations, Theekshana, but please honour Dhananjaya for that ripper of a catch.

Flatter ball on off, Mulder punches it to cover.

Tossed up outside off, Mulder leaves it alone.

Full toss on off, Mulder drives it to mid off.

Flighted ball on middle, Mulder works it to mid on for one.

Flatter ball outside off, Klaasen looks to play the reverse sweep but misses.

Floated on off, Malan drives it to long off for a single.

FOUR! Hammered! Full toss on off, Klaasen goes on his knees and then sweeps it to deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

Googly on off, Klaasen looks to cut but gets an underedge back to the keeper.

On off, Heinrich Klaasen mistimes his pull to short mid-wicket.

FOUR! Brilliant batting! Loopy ball on off, Klaasen reverse-sweeps it to third man for a boundary.

Floated on off, Klaasen sweeps it to deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Tossed up on middle, Klaasen looks to play the reverse sweep but it goes off the gloves to first slip.

Flatter on off, punched down to long off for a single.

Full toss on off, Malan drives it to long off for a single.

Tossed up on off, Klaasen defends it to point.

FOUR! Well played! Klaasen converts this into a full toss and sweeps it through square leg for a boundary.

Quicker ball on the pads, Klaasen looks to flick but misses and gets hit on the pads.

Good-length ball on middle, Malan defends it to mid on.

Good-length ball on off, Malan guides it to third man for a single.

On off, tapped to point.

Good-length ball on middle, Klaasen works it through the square leg region for three.

MISFIELD! Slower ball outside off, Malan punches it to cover where the fielder misfields and allows the batters to take a couple of runs.

Short ball around off, Malan sways away from it.

On middle, worked to the leg side.

Flatter on off, Malan punches it to cover for a single.

Floated on the pads, Klaasen works it to square leg.

Tossed up on the pads, Klaasen sweeps it to deep square leg for a single.

Full on off, Malan drives it to long off for one.

Floated ball outside off, Klaasen looks to defend but misses.

OUT! TAKEN! What a catch. This is exactly the kind of effort needed when you are defending 203. Chameera bowls a length ball, touch fuller, on middle. Rassie van der Dussen flicks it towards short mid-wicket. Kamindu Mendis keeps his eyes on the ball and dives to his left to take a good low catch just above the turf. A stunning catch from him and Sri Lanka are all over South Africa at the moment. They are all pumped up. Rassie van der Dussen can't believe it but has to depart for a timid score.

Fuller in length, on off. Heinrich Klaasen opens the face of the bat and drives it to cover. 

Back of a length, outside off, slanting in. Heinrich Klaasen taps it towards backward point.

Good-length ball on middle, angling in. Heinrich Klaasen blocks it out from the crease. 

Another good-length ball on off. Heinrich Klaasen blocks it right under his eyes. 

Short of a length, outside off. Heinrich Klaasen rocks back and cuts it towards cover. The fielder there does well to make a stop diving to his right. Sri Lankan fielders are all charged up at the moment. A wicket maiden from Dushmantha Chameera.

FOUR! Sri Lanka can't afford to bowl loose balls. This was short and on leg, Janneman Malan turns and pulls it towards deep square leg for a boundary. Got the treatment it deserved. 

On the pads, Malan works it through square leg for a single.

Loopy ball on off, Rassie van der Dussen pushes it towards covers.

Slower through the air, full and on middle. Pushed straight back to the bowler.

Floated it up on off, Rassie van der Dussen drives it through covers for a single. 

Flighted ball on middle, Janneman Malan makes room for himself and punches it towards extra cover.

Good-length ball on off, Reeza Hendricks watches the ball closely and lets it go.

 Length ball on middle, Hendricks tucks it to mid-wicket. 

Good-length ball on off, Reeza Hendricks looks to defend off the back foot but inside-edges it onto the pads. 

Fuller in length, outside off. Reeza Hendricks leans and drives it towards mid off. 

OUT! TIMBER! What a delivery from Chameera. Always a great sight for any pacer. Chameera serves a good-length ball on off, angling in. Reeza Hendricks looks to defend but is completely beaten by the pace and angle of the delivery. The ball goes through the gap between the bat and pad and disturbs the furniture behind him. Sri Lanka have struck twice and in a very quick time. What a cracker from Chameera. 

FOUR! Rassie van der Dussen  is off the mark with a boundary. Fuller in length, on middle and leg. Rassie van der Dussen flicks it through mid-wicket and fetches himself a boundary.

Floated it up, full toss on off. Aiden Markram drives it but straight to cover.

Drifting in on off, Aiden Markram presses forward to defend. The ball goes off the inner half on the leg side for one.

Flighted ball, on off. Janneman Malan drives it to long off for a single.

 OUT! TAKEN! Praveen Jayawickrama strikes in his first over. Sri Lanka needed early wickets and that's exactly what has happened. Jayawickrama bowls a loopy delivery on off, spinning away. Aiden Markram puts a stride forward and looks to defend. The ball spins enough away to kiss the outside edge. It flies towards the first slip region where Dasun Shanaka dives to his right to complete the catch. 

BEATEN! Tossed up ball, outside off. Reeza Hendricks looks to push it on the off side but is defeated all ends up. He gets beaten on the outside edge. 

Flatter ball on middle and leg, Reeza Hendricks flicks it towards square leg to get off the mark. 

FOUR! What a start by South Africa! Length ball outside off, Janneman Malan is still fresh from his last knock. He isn't going to miss out on that. Malan drives it through backward point and collects a boundary. 

Good-length ball, on off. Janneman Malan cuts it but straight to backward point this time. 

Length ball on off, Janneman Malan drives it crisply to cover. 

Good-length ball on off, Janneman Malan guides it down to third man for a single. 

On a length around off, Aiden Markram stands tall and punches it towards mid off. He takes off for a quick single. The fielder collects the ball quickly and has a shy at the bowler's end but misses. 

Short ball on middle, Janneman Malan lets it sail through as he sways away from it. 6 runs from the opening over of Dushmantha Chameera.