Quinton de Kock helped South Africa open their T20 World Cup campaign with a convincing six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka at the Nassau County International Stadium in New York.
De Kock top-scored with 20 runs as the Proteas reached their pitiful target of 78 to win in under 17 overs with six wickets to spare.
There were 22 balls remaining in the innings when David Miller capped a straightforward batting performance from his team with a boundary to carry them over the line, with Heinrich Klaasen also contributing an unbeaten 19.
Neither side made it to the semi-finals of the tournament’s most recent edition in Australia in 2022, with South Africa having been knocked out by a disappointing 13-run defeat to the Netherlands in their final Super 12 game to miss out on the last four.
They had Anrich Nortje to thank for helping ensure there were no such slip-ups to launch their campaign in the West Indies and the United States – he took four wickets for only seven runs as Sri Lanka completely collapsed and were all out for 77.
Kusal Mendis hit 19 off 30 balls while Angelo Mathews chipped in with 16 before both were caught off deliveries from Nortje to end the only real resistance.
The win puts South Africa into an early lead in a group which also contains Nepal, the Netherlands and Bangladesh, ahead of Saturday’s meeting back at the Nassau County Stadium with the side that ultimately eliminated them two years ago. Sri Lanka next face Nepal in Florida.
Meanwhile, a few hours earlier, Namibia dramatically defeated Oman in a super over victory by 11 runs, with David Wiese starring with bat and ball.
The game was forced to the extra over after both sides made 109, Namibia smashing 21 from their six balls with Wiese hitting a six and a four and captain Gerhard Erasmus adding two fours.
After performing with the bat, Wiese took the ball and sealed the game for Namibia as he grabbed a wicket while conceding just 10 runs.
Oman had a nightmare start to their regulation innings, losing two wickets in the first two balls from Ruben Trumpelmann at Kensington Oval in Barbados. Solid middle order batting from Khalid Kail and Zeeshan Maqsood helped them to 109 all out in the final over.
Namibia looked on course for an easy chase at 73-3 after 14 overs, but a collapse set up the exciting super over. Jan Frylinck anchored the innings with 45 off 48 balls, but he was one of two wickets to fall in the final over, leaving Wiese needing two runs off the final ball.
A leg bye and a missed shy at the stumps left them on 109-6, setting up the decisive super over where Wiese shone. Oman will face Australia in their next match while Namibia tackle Scotland.
