Sri Lanka(SL) will take on South Africa(SA) in Group D’s first clash of the T20 World Cup 2024. The encounter between Sri Lanka (SL) and South Africa (SA) will mark the commencement of play for all groups in the T20 World Cup 2024. Match 4 is scheduled to take place in the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York, on June 3.
The power of South Africa (SA) against the variety of Sri Lanka(SL) would be an interesting battle to watch it out in the World T20 knowing that both the teams have some great T20 players within their squads
SL vs SA Previous Performances
Riding high on the momentum of consecutive 2-1 series victories against Afghanistan and Bangladesh in respective three-match T20I series, Sri Lanka would be brimming with confidence. However, they experienced mixed fortunes in their warm-up fixtures against the Netherlands and Ireland. Nonetheless, they’ll be aiming to commence their campaign on a positive note.
Conversely, South Africa, having recently suffered a whitewash at the hands of co-hosts, the West Indies, in a three-match T20I series, would have had their confidence somewhat shaken. However, several key players were rested during that series. With their star players returning, South Africa will be eager to make a strong comeback. They will draw confidence from their favorable head-to-head record in T20Is as well as their track record against the Lankans in this tournament
SL vs SA Head to Head Record
Sri Lankans and South Africans have fond memories of 2014. In Dubai on March 1 that year the latter’s team beat Pakistan in the men’s under-19 World Cup final. In Dhaka 37 days later the Lankans overcame India in the final of what was then called the men’s World T20. But neither Lankan nor South African fans have had reason to celebrate, in a global sense, since.
The closest the Lankans have come to lifting their next trophy was the 2015 World Cup quarterfinals. The team who put them out of that tournament were South Africa – who lost their subsequent semifinal against New Zealand. India beat the South Africans in the semifinals of the 2014 World T20, and again in last year’s ODI World Cup semifinals. Sri Lanka had also won the 1996 World Cup, but that 2014 under-19 triumph remains South Africa’s sole win.
It’s harsh but fair that, in ICC tournament terms, Sri Lanka and South Africa have spent the past 10 years going nowhere slowly. In that time Australia or England have won five of the six men’s ODI and T20I World Cups played and West Indies the other. Sri Lanka 1-3 South Africa
| Matches Played | 17 |
| Won by Sri Lanka | 05 |
| Won by South Africa | 11 |
| No Result | 01 |
| First-ever Fixture | 22/09/12 |
| Most-recent Fixture | 30/10/21 |
SL vs SA Pitch Report
Weather looks great, with highs of mid-20s°C and no predictions for any rain interference. If the warm-up match between India and Bangladesh is anything to go by, the conditions underfoot will not be insignificant. On the drop-in pitch, the ball seamed around and stopped for the spinners. Of more interest was the slowish outfield on which the ball tended to plug. It also didn’t look like turf that fielders will be keen to dive on.
The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, purpose-built for the T20 World Cup 2024 and completed in record time, will host this match. The team winning the toss would likely opt to field first, aiming to get accustomed to the pitch’s characteristics and gather insights from the batting team’s performance, thus enabling more-informed strategy for their chase.
It’s an almost brand new drop-in pitch that started life in Adelaide and was completed near Palm Beach in Florida before being transported to New York. A warm, dry, partly cloudy, largely windless day has been forecast.
SL vs SA Big picture: Recent form against South Africa
It is possible that both Sri Lanka and South Africa kind of suck. Since the start of 2023, South Africa have lost nine of the 11 completed T20Is they have played. Most recently, they were thrashed 3-0 by West Indies. None of those results were close.
Sri Lanka, who won the T20 World Cup ten years ago, and for several years before that were arguably the best T20 outfit on the planet, have never really got close to making the semi-final of a limited-overs global trophy since then. They have won their last three T20I series in a row. However, those were against a Bangladesh team missing some key players, Afghanistan minus Rashid Khan, and Zimbabwe, who have not even qualified for this tournament. Fair to say neither Sri Lanka nor South Africa come in with a lot of expectation.
But there are some exploits in franchise cricket to consider – Heinrich Klaasen clobbered 479 runs at a strike rate of 171 at the IPL, and Matheesha Pathirana took 13 wickets at an economy rate of 7.68 in the same competition. But have entire batting orders and bowling attacks vibed together for their national teams
Sri Lanka come in with some confidence about their bowling. In Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka and Dushmantha Chameera, they have three quicks capable of breaching 145kph, plus Nuwan Thushara, whose most recent T20I outing brought him figures of 5 for 20.On top of this, Sri Lanka have spinners Maheesh Theekshana and captain Wanindu Hasaranga (who had recently rekindled his love for the Test format, only to be suspended for those games, dammit!).
Where Sri Lanka may lack, though, is on the big-hitting front, and here South Africa will feel they have them covered, their top order having blasted their way through last year’s ODI World Cup. Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram and Klaasen, in particular, will back themselves to take Sri Lanka’s bowlers down. But Sri Lanka have serious variety in their attack. And that used to be the hallmark of that great Sri Lanka T20I side of 2014.
SL vs SA In the spotlight: Hasaranga and Rabada
Wanindu Hasaranga is not just a bowler who fields brilliantly and bats a bit anymore. At least that is what he is trying to convince you of. Once a heavily off-side batter, Hasaranga has strengthened his leg-side game, and become what he and Sri Lanka hope is more of a genuine allrounder – that rare player that makes the team based on either batting or bowling alone.
Because of injuries that kept him out of the entire ODI World Cup last year, as well as out of the IPL, he hasn’t had the chance to dust these skills off. But this is not the same player that rocked up to the T20 World Cup in 2022.
By now, Kagiso Rabada is used to all kinds of pressure that most players in the world are unfamiliar with. This time, he is the only Black African player in the South Africa squad, which is kind of a big deal but one he will almost certainly take in his stride, you suspect. But the guy has also got to rediscover some bowling magic. In his last five outings for Punjab Kings this year, he took two wickets. All up, he had a middling IPL, and left the competition early with injury.
SL vs SA Vital stats that matters
- Across all T20s since 2023, Klaasen clobbers spin at a strike rate of 184, and hits sixes just under once every seven balls faced.
- In four T20Is against South Africa, Hasaranga has taken six wickets at an economy rate of 6.25.
- Sri Lanka have historically played Rabada well – he has gone at an economy rate of nine against them, and taken five wickets in six matches.
SL vs SA Probable Playing XIs
Sri Lanka
Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk.), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Dushmantha Chameera
South Africa
Aiden Markram (c), Reeza Hendricks, Ryan Rickelton, Heinrich Klaasen (wk.), Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, Keshav Maharaj, Bjorn Fortuin, Kagiso Rabada, Gerald Coetzee
SL vs SA Fantasy XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Angelo Mathews, Matheesha Pathirana, Aiden Markram (c), Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen (wk.), Tristan Stubbs, Kagiso Rabada
SL vs SA Probable Best Performers
Probable Best Batter: Heinrich Klaasen
Following a successful IPL 2024 season with the Sunrisers Hyderabad, during which the wicketkeeper-batter amassed 479 runs in 15 innings at a blistering strike rate of 171.07, Klaasen has established himself as a formidable player against spin. Renowned for his ability to dominate spin bowling and his repertoire of innovative and street-smart shots, he has the potential to take the charge to the Lankan bowlers with his exceptional batting prowess.
Probable Best Bowler: Wanindu Hasaranga
Despite having scarcely bowled in recent months, this crafty leg-spinner possesses the potential to bewilder batters with his cunning and astuteness, clearly evident in his bowling. The skipper will aim to make an impactful start and deliver a strong performance with the ball.
SL vs SA Match Prediction
Scenario 1
South Africa win the toss and opt to bowl first.
Powerplay Score: 45-55
First Innings Score: 155-165
South Africa win the match.
Scenario 2
Sri Lanka win the toss and opt to bowl first.
Powerplay score: 50-60
First Innings Score: 185-195
South Africa win the match