South Africa is slated to face off against Sri Lanka later today at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium for their opening matches of the ICC Men’s World Cup. Sri Lanka secured their spot in the tournament by triumphing in all of their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier matches. Their journey included four victories out of five in the Continental Cup, but they stumbled in the summit clash, managing only 50 runs against India, who emerged as the winners.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s recent form saw them bounce back from a 2-0 deficit to beat Australia 3-2 in a five-match bilateral series. Both teams are eager to launch their World Cup campaigns with a victory in this forthcoming ODI World Cup encounter.
Head-to-head stats
In ODIs, South Africa and Sri Lanka have locked horns on 80 occasions. Among these encounters, South Africa emerged victorious in 45 matches, while Sri Lanka clinched triumph in 33. When it comes to the prestigious ICC World Cups, South Africa boasts a notably superior track record, having won four out of the six matches they’ve contested in this prestigious tournament.
Pitch report
Pitch conditions at the Arun Jaitley Stadium have in the past favoured low scores, with an average of 223 runs in the 28 ODI matches held there. Consequently, fans can anticipate a potentially low-scoring contest between the two sides.
Squads
Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (C), Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Kumara, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushan Hemantha
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (C), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Lizaad Williams
Weather report
Weather-wise, Delhi is expected to offer a warm setting for the teams, with temperatures fluctuating between 31°C and 35°C during the match. Skies are predicted to remain clear, ruling out any disruptions from rain
Where to watch
The match between South Africa and Sri Lanka will begin at 2 pm IST. It will be telecast on the Star Sports Network and live streamed free digitally on Disney+Hotstar.