"It was a gift from Sri Lanka to South Africa" - Ambati Rayudu on Wanindu Hasaranga's decision to bat first in New YorkÂ
Former Indian batter Ambati Rayudu felt that the toss was the turning point during the 2024 T20 World Cup group stage contest between Sri Lanka and South Africa. Skipper Wanindu Hasaranga had won the toss and controversially elected to bat first at the Nassau County International Stadium in New York on Monday, June 3.
The Proteas made most of the pitch that was difficult to bat on as Sri Lanka struggled throughout the innings. The subcontinent side lost wickets at regular intervals and did not have any say against the mighty South African bowling unit.
Anrich Nortje troubled the opposition with an imposing spell of 4-7 while the other bowlers also had a major say in the proceedings. Sri Lanka were made to pay for their decision at the toss as they were bowled out for just 77 runs, their lowest-ever total in the format.
Ambati Rayudu opined that Sri Lanka handed the match over to South Africa entirely by electing to bat first on a questionable surface.
"I think the turning point of the game happened before the game even started. I think it was the toss. After winning the toss, when you bat first on a wicket like that, you do not know what score to set up. I feel that is the biggest edge that South Africa had. I mean, it was a gift from Sri Lanka to South Africa," Rayudu said on Star Sports.
Rayudu also shed praise on Nortje's match-winning spell that set the game up for the Proteas.
"In terms of South African bowling, I felt Nortje did most of the damage, especially on a pitch like this which was slightly up and down. I felt Nortje was that X-Factor," Rayudu added.
The right-arm speedster was adjudged player of the match for his spell. His return to form comes at an excellent time for South Africa, as he was struggling for the last couple of months, which includes a forgettable 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign for the Delhi Capitals (DC).
"I see there is nothing wrong with the decision that we made, but the target we set was not right" - Sri Lanka skipper Wanindu Hasaranga
Sri Lanka put in a spirited effort with the ball during the second innings, making the Proteas work hard to scale down the meagre total. However, the Proteas managed to cross the line with over three overs to spare and with six wickets in hand.
Hasaranga defended the decision to bat first after winning the toss, but felt that they should have posted more runs to pose a threat with their strong bowling unit.
"We kept bowling for 16 overs for them to reach the score of 70. So, I see there is nothing wrong with the decision that we made, but the target we set was not right. Even though the wicket was that hard, we were having a big target as a team till the end, and I think we identified it later. That's what happened there," Hasaranga said after the contest.
Sri Lanka are next scheduled to face Bangladesh on Saturday, June 8, at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas.