South Africa head coach Mark Boucher said the tourists were given an opportunity by Sri Lanka to win the three-match ODI series in the first ODI, but his team had slipped that opportunity and eventually suffered a 1-2 loss in the series against the hosts on Tuesday (September 7).

Sri Lanka thrashed South Africa by 78 runs in the third ODI to clinch the ODI series 2-1 on Tuesday in Colombo and Boucher said the Proteas should have made the most of the given opportunity in the first ODI to win the series, but unfortunately they didn't finish off and that’s the biggest regret for him.

According to ESPNcricinfo, Boucher said after the ODI series loss: “If I look at the series as a whole, we were given an opportunity to win the series in the first game. We were in control of that run chase and we slipped up in maybe a period of five overs. We were unfortunate to lose Temba Bavuma when we did. In order to win a series in the subcontinent, you've got to cash in when that opportunity arises. That's the biggest regret that we didn't finish off that first game.”

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On South Africa’s batting, the head coach mentioned: “It was frustrating because everyone in our top order has had a good knock in the previous two games. They've spent some time out in the middle; the guys are in good form. On a wicket that is tough, and is going to get tougher as the game goes on, to lose three wickets in the first five overs and four of your top six in the first 10, you're always going to be on the back foot.

Although we kept up with the required run rate the whole time we just lost wickets. And they did bowl well -- they bowled smartly. Their seamer bowled with good energy and bowled good areas, backed up by some good catching.”

In the third and final ODI, South Africa played all of their four spinners and each one of them bowled their full quota of 10 overs for 9 wickets against Sri Lanka.

Explaining the reason, Boucher said: “It's a change of mindset. As South Africans, we are used to fast-bowlers, a lot of all-rounders but you've got to back that up with good spinning options and that is where we are quite strong at the moment.”

He signed off by saying, “We've got a lot of depth in the spinning department and guys are really competing. Shammo [Tabraiz Shamsi] is No. 1 in T20s and Keshav has really come a long way and he is bowling at his best. The mindset has changed to try and be smarter in these conditions.”

Sri Lanka and South Africa will engage in a three-match T20I series, starting on Friday.

(With ANI Inputs)