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Maharaj leads South Africa to a 2-0 series win and top spot in the WTC rankings
Maharaj leads South Africa to a 2-0 series win and top spot in the WTC rankings
Sri Lanka lost five wickets for 19 runs in 62 balls in a lower collapse that undid their work from the previous day.
In the list of World Test Championship South Africa has moved on to the top as gets a win of 109 runs againsts Sri Lanka at St George’s Park. They won the series 2-0 by bowling out Sri Lanka for 238 in just 69 minutes on the final morning, without even needing the second new ball for another 10.5 overs.
Keshav Maharaj claimed his tenth Test five-wicket haul, his fourth at St George's Park, taking four of the last five wickets on the final morning. Sri Lanka suffered a lower-order collapse, losing five wickets for just 19 runs in 62 balls, undoing their efforts from the previous day. Starting the final morning well-placed at 202 for 5, with Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva set on a steady pitch, their sixth-wicket stand of 83 had put them in a strong position. Both batters looked at ease against a South African attack that admitted to trying too hard on the fourth day.
South Africa came out refreshed on the final morning, with Kagiso Rabada generating some away movement in the easterly breeze. Keshav Maharaj broke the crucial Kusal Mendis-Dhananjaya de Silva partnership in the seventh over with a ball that turned away from Kusal, who drove with hard hands. Aiden Markram took a low catch, confirmed by the third umpire after checking he had his fingers under the ball.
Fourteen balls later, Rabada’s consistent accuracy throughout the series paid off. He dismissed Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva, who edged a ball that moved away, and was caught behind.
With no specialist batters remaining, Sri Lanka's tail didn’t last long. Prabath Jayasuriya tried to hit a Maharaj long-hop over the offside but found Temba Bavuma at extra cover. After making it to the drinks break, Vishwa Fernando fell shortly after, slogging across the line and giving Marco Jansen a simple catch at mid-on. Jansen then dismissed Lahiru Kumara with a short ball that was top-edged to Ryan Rickelton at short mid-wicket, sealing South Africa's victory.
The win keeps South Africa in a strong position, just one victory away from securing a spot in next year’s World Test Championship final. They can clinch it with a win over Pakistan at home in either the Boxing Day or New Year’s Test, their last in this cycle. Sri Lanka, still in the race, must beat Australia at home early next year and rely on favorable results elsewhere.
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