'Just doing my job', says 'superman' Perera after epic Sri Lanka win

Match-winner Kusal Perera insisted "all I did was my role" after his epic 153 not out took Sri Lanka to a dramatic one-wicket victory over South Africa in the first Test at Kingsmead on Saturday.

Perera scored 67 of his runs in an unbeaten 78-run last-wicket stand with Vishwa Fernando which gave his underdog team a sensational victory.

"When I was batting with the tail, I knew we couldn't win this match by just scoring singles," said Perera after his career-best knock which was already being hailed as one of Test cricket's greatest innings.

"I was the last proper batsman left. When the time felt right for me, I took my chances."
Perera added: "I had really wanted to hit two or three sixes off Steyn as we were getting close. Thankfully I was able to do that. I think my decision-making was really good."
"Vishwa told me: 'I'll hit the ball with my body, if nothing else. You do what you can.' I took a lot of strength from that. Without any fear I took the single and gave the strike to him. He did a huge job."
Dimuth Karunaratne, captaining Sri Lanka for the first time, said: "We had to believe in Kusal. It was a fantastic knock against a really good fast bowling attack."
- Questions for du Plessis -
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"It will not be an easy task. We have to start from zero but we are in a really good mindset now."
"Even with the fielders out on the boundary he still took risks. If he's doing that, even if you bring the field up he'll do the same."
"To hit the bowlers we have for six says that all the risks he took paid off. His consistency with trying to take risks and weighing up when to do it was incredible. I think we must focus on how good that innings was. He manoeuvred the field brilliantly."