DELHI – South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 102 runs in the fourth match of the ICC World Cup 2023 in New Delhi on Saturday.
Earlier, blistering knocks from Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram helped South Africa post the highest-ever world cup total of 428 runs against Sri Lanka in their opener of World Cup 2023 in Delhi.
Chasing the target, the entire Sri Lankan squad collapsed at 326 runs in 44.5 overs.
South Africa’s opening batter Kock smashed 100 off 84 balls while Dussen played an inning of 108 runs. Aiden Markram showed historic performance as he smashed the fastest-ever world cup hundred.
Proteas and Lankan Lions are entering the venue without several key pacers as Anrich Nortje and Sisanda Magala are not available and for Sri Lanka, leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga and top pacers Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Madushanka are not part of squad.
As Nortje will miss today’s game, South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada and Gerald Coetzee will try their luck to give a tough time to opponents.
For the island nation, spin duo Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage will remain under pressure.
Today’s match between two sides would be interesting as the Lankans would like to recover from the 2023 Asia Cup final defeat and subpar performances in the warm-up games for the main cricket event.
In two warm-up matches, Sri Lanka faced losses in both games against Bangladesh and Afghanistan. South Africa also lost their warm-up game against New Zealand.
In the past, both sides have faced each other 80 times in this format, and Proteas bagged 45 matches and Sri Lanka aced 33.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s stadium will help spinners, and both teams will look to bowl first under current circumstances.
South Africa vs Sri Lanka Squads
South Africa: Quinton de Kock, Temba Bavuma (c), Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngidi
Sri Lanka: Kusal-Mendis, Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka (c), Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kasun Rajitha, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana
