South Africa vs Sri Lanka: South Africa are set to take on Sri Lanka in the first T20I of the three-match series at the Sahara Park Willowmoore Cricket Stadium, Benoni, South Africa on Wednesday, March 27. The two teams last met in the Women’s T20I World Cup back in February of 2023 where Sri Lanka beat the hosts by 3 runs. Whereas South Africa went on to be the runners-up in that tournament.
The hosts South Africa need to gear themselves up for the Sri Lankan bowling challenge. Last year, they failed to chase a small target of 130 runs at Newlands as Sri Lanka’s Inoka Ranaweera got through the top order quickly. The South Africa team will be led by Laura Wolvaardt. She played the key role in South Africa’s last T20I win that came against Australia while chasing a 143-run target. Wolvaardt will aim to repeat the same while taking Sri Lanka.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka are all set for yet another tour. They will be confident coming to South Africa considering their recent performances in the Asian Games and their tour of England. Though it has been almost 6 months since they played a T20 international, the visitors can still deliver an impactful performance, especially with the ball. They have some quality bowlers in their squad and they will back themselves to put the hosts on the back foot once again.
South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 1st T20I – Match Details
Date and Time: 27 March 2024, Wednesday, 09:30 AM IST
Venue: Sahara Park Willowmoore Cricket Stadium, Benoni, South Africa
Live Streaming: FanCode App and Website
South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 1st T20I – Pitch Report
The surface will be good for batting as the batters get full value for their shots here. If they can stay at the wicket and get used to the pace and bounce, there are plenty of runs for the taking. The pitch also offers help for the spinners. Any score above 150 in the 1st innings should be a match-winning total at this venue.
South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 1st T20I – Weather Report
The weather forecast is expected to be mostly cloudy throughout the game. The temperature is expected to be around 24-degree Celsius with 54% humidity. There are chances of rain during the match that may interrupt the game.
South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 1st T20I – Probable Playing XIs
South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt(c), Tazmin Brits, Marizanne Kapp, Anneke Bosch, Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Sinalo Jafta(wk), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Masabata Klaas, Ayabonga Khaka
Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu(c), Anushka Sanjeewani(wk), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Hasini Perera, Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandika Kumari, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoshi Priyadharshani
South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 1st T20I – Head-to-Head Records
| Matches Played | 14 |
| South Africa won | 10 |
| Sri Lanka won | 4 |
Prediction: South Africa to win the match.
South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 1st T20I – Key Players
South Africa
- Marizanne Kapp: Kapp is coming from an outstanding WPL season. She is in her prime form as she produced some exceptional performances in the tournament. The bowling of the hosts will rest on Marizanne Kapp, who is one of the best and most experienced bowlers in this format of the game.
- Laura Wolvaardt: Renowned for her exceptional batting skills, Laura Wolvaadt is coming from a decent season of WPL 2024 for the Gujarat Giants. She played a key role in South Africa’s last T20I win and will aim to continue her momentum against Sri Lanka to start the series on a good note.
Sri Lanka
- Chamari Athapaththu: The Sri Lanka captain is currently in superb form. Batting all-rounder and skipper Atthapaththu is a crucial bowling figure in Sri Lanka’s bowling attack. She can deliver breakthroughs and run through the overs quickly while drying up the runs. Her role both as a skipper and an all-rounder is very vital for the visitors to get a good start.
- Udeshika Prabodhani: The left-arm medium pacer Prabodhani has emerged as a consistent bowler for Sri Lanka. She was impressive against giants like India and England. She could be one of the best players for Sri Lanka against South Africa making notable contributions for her team.
South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 1st T20I – Dream 11 Prediction
Wicket-Keeper: Anushka Sanjeewani
Batters: Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, Nilakshi de Silva
All-rounders: Chamari Athapaththu (VC), Chloe Tryon, Marizanne Kapp (C), Kavisha Dilhari
Bowlers: Udeshika Prabodhani, Masabata Klaas
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