T20 World Cup co-hosts lose as South Africa ends India’s winning run and England beats Sri Lanka

India’s 12-match winning run since the 2024 tournament came to an end as left-arm pacer Marco Jansen took 4-22 in 3.5 overs.

India was bowled out for 111 runs in 18.5 overs after South Africa chose to bat first and scored 187-7. David Miller hit 63 off 35 balls, with seven fours and three sixes, in the Group 1 match at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Sunday proved to be a dismal day for both co-hosts at the T20 World Cup as Sri Lanka crashed to a 51-run defeat to England in Pallekele.

Miller leads South Africa's recovery

South Africa surprised almost everyone by choosing to bat and was at 20-3 in four overs. Jasprit Bumrah (3-15 in four overs) bowled opener Quinton de Kock for 6 and then Ryan Rickelton was out caught for 7.

In-form skipper Aiden Markram made only 4 and was caught off Arshdeep Singh. But the Proteas rallied hard with its middle order coming good.

Dewald Brevis hit 45 runs off 29 balls, and put on 97 off 50 balls with Miller for the fourth wicket to change the momentum.

Brevis hit three sixes, while Miller raced to 50 off only 26 balls as India didn’t have any answers after the power play. Miller hit three sixes and six fours in his half-century.

Shivam Dube provided the breakthrough in the 13th over, but there was no immediate respite. Miller quickly added another 35 off 20 balls with Tristan Stubbs, who hit 44 not out off 24 balls including three sixes.

Miller fell in the 16th over – caught off Varun Chakravarthy – but Stubb’s momentum gave plenty for South Africa to defend.

India got off to a disastrous start – Markram trapped Ishan Kishan with his off-spin. The in-form opener was out caught for a four-ball duck.

Jansen had Tilak Verma caught behind for 1, while Abhishek Sharma struggled to put bat on ball as he labored to 15 off 12 balls. He was eventually caught off Jansen.

From 26-3, it became 51-5 in 9.1 overs for India – Corbin Bosch struck twice in successive overs, removing Washington Sundar (11) and then skipper Suryakumar Yadav (18).

Dube scored 42 off 37, with neither Hardik Pandya (18) nor Rinku Singh (0) able to change the game. Left-arm pacer Keshav Maharaj picked up 3-24 in three overs.

It was India’s biggest defeat (by runs) in T20 World Cups. Its remaining Super 8 games are against Zimbabwe in Chennai (Thursday) and West Indies in Kolkata (next Sunday).

South Africa plays West Indies on Thursday in Ahmedabad.

England starts Super Eights with big win

Phil Salt anchored England to 146-9 with a resolute 62 off 40 balls and Jacks provided impetus to the total by smashing four boundaries in his 21-run knock in the death overs.

Sri Lanka crumbled to 95 all out as offspinner Jacks picked up three wickets inside the power play and earned England its 12th consecutive win in a T20 against the hosts.

The duo led England to its 12th consecutive win in a T20 against Lanka.

Jofra Archer (2-20) struck with a vital blow in his second over when Pathum Nissanka, who scored a century against Australia at the same venue during a group game, flicked a 150 kph delivery straight to deep mid-wicket.

Sri Lanka batters struggled against Jacks’ fuller deliveries and slipped to 34-5 inside the first six overs. Kusal Mendis offered a tame return catch to Jacks and Pavan Rathanayake got dismissed off the first delivery when Jacks got a leading edge.

Captain Dasun Shanaka top-scored with 30 but fell to a brilliant relay catch at the boundary – involving Jacks and Tom Banton. Liam Dawson (2-27) and Adil Rashid (2-13) shared five wickets in helpful conditions.

Earlier, England’s top-order crashed against spinner Dunith Wellalage (3-26) as Jos Buttler’s (7) disappointing tournament continued.

Off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana (2-21) also kept the batters under pressure in the middle overs as England kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

Salt completed his half-century off 36 balls before he heaved to long-off in the 15th over, but Jacks’ cameo in the death overs and Overton’s straight six in the last over gave England enough runs to defend.

England next plays Pakistan at the same venue on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka plays New Zealand in Colombo on Wednesday.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket