A South African newspaper has commented that the team's failure to complete a clean sweep of Sri Lanka in the three-match Twenty20 international series, was ultimately in South Africa's longer-term interests as victory in the dead-rubber might well have had the effect of avoiding looking at the cracks in the team.
According to Sport24, had South Africa won 3-0, instead of the eventual 2-1 outcome, after Tillakaratne Dilshan's typically flamboyant and outrageous match-winning contribution at the crease in the final contest, the temptation might have existed to assume the country is further down the road to one-day cricket revival than is actually the case.
Sri Lanka has retained their top spot in the Twenty20 rankings and South Africa is at fifth, the report said.
Former SA player Dale Benkenstein said that his team could have gone harder and get to about 180 instead of 163. (ANI)
Considering that they currently show at least one weak link in an opening spot, the Proteas must seriously consider making sure that De Villiers is installed somewhere among the top three, and perhaps as an opener, the report added.