How did he miss? SA win a T20 thriller

South Africa have beaten Sri Lanka in a Super Over to decide a frantic and often farcical first Twenty20 international at Newlands.

The teams finished tied in a helter-skelter end to the regulation 20 overs-a-side match after South Africa collapsed from a position where victory seemed certain and had to scramble a single off the last ball of their chase to level the scores.

As South Africa sneaked through for that tying run, Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella missed a straightforward throw at the stumps that would have given Sri Lanka an improbable victory.

South Africa batted first in the Super Over and made 14, with David Miller cracking a six and a four off Sri Lankan captain Lasith Malinga.

South Africa chose leg-spinner Imran Tahir to bowl Sri Lanka's Super Over and he conceded just five runs - although that still included two dropped catches and two wides.

That was only half the story of a thrilling match.

South Africa threw away its winning position and only just managed to tie the scores and force the Super Over. Tahir was the saviour for the home team then, too.

He came in with South Africa needing two to win and one to tie. His inside edge enabled the South Africans to sneak through for the run that took it to 8-134 and tie Sri Lanka, who posted 7-134.

Dickwella's throw from close range missed the stumps and the ball also then hit Tahir, who was sprinting down the pitch to complete the run.

"We didn’t handle it well with the bat in the last five or six overs but getting another opportunity in the Super Over I thought we handled it beautifully," said South African captain Faf du Plessis.

Miller was handed the wicketkeeping gloves in preparation for his likely role as Quinton de Kock's back-up in the World Cup.

He caught Dickwella off Dale Steyn's bowling off the second ball of the match and made a stumping when Kamindu Mendis ran past a Tahir googly. Mendis top-scored for Sri Lanka with 41.

South Africa looked set for a comfortable win when Miller and Rassie van der Dussen (34) put on 66 for the fourth wicket but both were out within three balls before the rest of the batting crumbled.