World T20: Kusal Perera stars in Sri Lanka win

Chittagong, Bangladesh: Opener Kusal Perera smashed 61 to steer Sri Lanka to five-run win over South Africa in a tight contest in its World Twenty20 opener on Saturday. Sri Lanka put up a respectable 165-7 and in response South Africa was restricted to 160-8. Perera gave Sri Lanka a fluent start, hammering Dale Steyn 17 in the first over. Steyn however retaliated handing Tilkaratne Dilshan a first-ball duck at the same over. During the course of his fifth half-century, Perera hit six four and three sixes in just 40 balls. After his dismissal, Mathews drove the innings to safety, before Steyn removed him in the last over. [caption id=“attachment_1445831” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File picture of Kusal Perera. Reuters[/caption] Mathews hit three fours and a six in 32 balls. In between, leg-spinner Imran Tahir ripped through the Sri Lankan middle order, claiming his career best 3-26. Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel picked two wickets apiece. JP Duminy hit 39 while Quinton de Kock made 25. Kock and Duminy added 50-run to keep South Africa in the contest but a late flurry of wicket led its sensational collapse. AB de Villiers contributed 24. Sachitra Senanayake claimed 2-22 for Sri Lanka. Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara, Angelo Mathews and Ajantha Mendis grabbed one wicket apiece. Toss - Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field. South Africa XI: Q de Kock, H Amla, JP Duminy, AB de Villiers, DA Miller, F Behardien, A Morkel, D Steyn, M Morkel, L Tsotsobe, Imran Tahir Sri Lanka XI: M Perera, T Dilshan, M Jayawardene, K Sangakkara, L Chandimal, A Mathews, N Perera, K Kulasekara, S Senanayake, A Mendis, L Malinga AP