South Africa vs Sri Lanka: Fallen Giants Look for a Lift

In terms of World Cups, this rivalry is best remembered for South Africa’s surprising miscalculation of the target based on the Duckworth-Lewis rule on home soil in 2003, when a tie knocked them out of the tournament. Sri Lanka have won the T20 World Cup once (2014) and reached two other finals, while South Africa have never gone beyond the semi-finals. This contest, being played in the UAE, is of huge importance in a group including three other teams that have reached at least one final.

Sri Lanka started their Super-12 campaign with a superb win against Bangladesh, while South Africa faced defeat against Australia, showing the lack of depth in their batting. This South Africa-Sri Lanka cricket match will likely decide South Africa’s semi-final fate, with England, Australia, the West Indies and Bangladesh also pushing to advance.

Super 12: Group 1 & Group 2

Group 1
Group 2

The Super 12 stage, which is the second round of the tournament, consists of 12 teams. The top 8 teams in the T20I rankings were joined by the 4 qualifiers from Round 1. The top two from each group will advance to the semi-finals.

- England
- Australia
- South Africa
- West Indies
- Sri Lanka
- Bangladesh

- India
- Pakistan
- New Zealand
- Afghanistan
- Scotland
- Namibia

South Africa vs Sri Lanka Head to Head Stats

South Africa have dominated this rivalry, especially in global tournaments.

Overall Stats

- Format
- Matches
- RSA Won
- SL Won
- Draw/Tie/NR
- Test
- 31
- 16
- 9
- 6
- ODI
- 80
- 45
- 33
- 2
- T20I
- 16
- 10
- 5
- 1
- Total
- 127
- 71
- 47
- 9

South Africa vs Sri Lanka in World Tournaments

- Format
- Matches
- RSA Won
- SL Won
- Draw/Tie/NR
- 50-over World Cup
- 6
- 4
- 1
- 1
- Champions Trophy
- 4
- 3
- 1
- 0
- T20 World Cup
- 3
- 2
- 1
- 0
- Total
- 13
- 9
- 3
- 1

South Africa and Sri Lanka Squads for T20 World Cup 2021

South Africa Full Squad

Temba Bavuma (C), Quinton de Kock (WK), Keshav Maharaj, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen

Traveling reserves: George Linde, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lizaad Williams

Traveling reserves:
George Linde, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lizaad Williams

Sri Lanka Full Squad

Dasun Shanaka (C), Kusal Janith Perera (WK), Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya De Silva, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Chamika Karunaratne, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya, Binura Fernando.

Traveling reserves: Pulina Tharanga

Traveling reserves:
Pulina Tharanga

Temba Bavuma: South Africa Captain

For a long time, Bavuma was viewed only as a Test player. But when given chances in ODIs and T20Is, he grabbed the opportunities with both hands. He had to bide his time for more than half a decade, until the retirement of AB de Villiers from international cricket. After Faf du Plessis stepped down from captaincy, Bavuma has matured both as a batter and a leader. With transformation and racial quotas still such a touchy topic in South Africa, both his captaincy and form will come under intense scrutiny.

Bavuma’s Batting Career Summary

- Format
- Matches
- Runs
- Highest Score
- Avg
- SR
- 50
- 100
- 4s
- 6s
- Test
- 44
- 2097
- 102* vs England
- 32.26
- 47.70
- 15
- 1
- 259
- 4
- ODI
- 13
- 499
- 113 vs Ireland
- 49.90
- 87.85
- 2
- 1
- 42
- 4
- T20I
- 16
- 410
- 72 vs Ireland
- 27.33
- 126.93
- 1
- 0
- 37
- 10

Dasun Shanaka: Sri Lanka Captain

A decade or so ago, Shanaka would have struggled to get into the Sri Lanka team. It’s a reflection of how badly Sri Lankan cricket’s fortunes have declined that they have as a captain a man with a single 5-wicket haul and no centuries after 93 international matches. But since the retirements of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene more than half a decade ago, captains and coaches have come and gone as Sri Lanka cricket’s stock has plummeted.

Shanaka’s Batting Career Summary

- Format
- Matches
- Runs
- Highest Score
- Avg
- SR
- 50
- 100
- 200
- 4s
- 6s
- Test
- 6
- 140
- 66* vs South Africa
- 14.00
- 50.72
- 1
- 0
- 0
- 9
- 7
- ODI
- 34
- 715
- 68 vs Pakistan
- 24.65
- 94.95
- 3
- 0
- 0
- 52
- 29
- T20I
- 53
- 633
- 54 vs Pakistan
- 16.23
- 107.65
- 2
- 0
- 0
- 41
- 31

South Africa vs Sri Lanka: Top Performers & Statistics in T20Is

Top Performers with the Bat in T20Is
Top Performers with the Ball in T20Is

South Africa vs Sri Lanka: Most Runs in T20Is
- - Reeza Hendricks (South Africa)
  - 311 runs
- - JP Duminy (South Africa)
  - 262 runs
- - Quinton de Kock (South Africa)
  - 260 runs
- - David Miller (South Africa)
  - 222 runs
South Africa vs Sri Lanka: Highest Scores in T20Is
- - Faf du Plessis (South Africa)
  - 85 runs (2013)
- - Isuru Udana (Sri Lanka)
  - 84* runs (2019)
- - Dwaine Pretorius (South Africa)
  - 77* runs (2019)
- - Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka)
  - 74* runs (2013)

South Africa vs Sri Lanka: Most Wickets in T20Is
- - Imran Tahir (South Africa)
  - 14 wickets
- - Nuwan Kulasekara (Sri Lanka)
  - 10 wickets
- - Lakshan Sandakan (Sri Lanka)
  - 8 wickets
- - Dale Steyn (South Africa)
  - 8 wickets
South Africa vs Sri Lanka: Best Bowling Figures in T20Is
- - Lungi Ngidi (South Africa)
  - 4/19 (2017)
- - Lakshan Sandakan (Sri Lanka)
  - 4/23 (2017)
- - Andile Phehlukwayo (South Africa)
  - 4/24 (2019)
- - Isuru Udana (Sri Lanka)
  - 3/13 (2017)

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FAQs: South Africa vs Sri Lanka

Why is Mark Boucher, South Africa’s current coach, remembered in connection with this rivalry?

TIn the 2003 World Cup held in South Africa, Boucher played a dot ball against Muttiah Muralitharan and then celebrated thinking South Africa had won by the Duckworth-Lewis method. They hadn’t. The scores were tied, and South Africa exited the tournament.

Which star of the current Namibian team played for South Africa in their win over Sri Lanka at the T20 World Cup in 2016?

David Wiese bowled just one over as South Africa cruised to an 8-wicket victory.

Why is the T20 World Cup 2021 happening in the UAE instead of India?

The T20 World Cup was moved from India to the UAE because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The decision was made after the second wave of the pandemic hit India.

Where can you watch the T20 World Cup 2021 matches?

You can watch the live telecast of all the T20 World Cup 2021 matches on the Star Sports channels on TV and on the Hotstar app on your laptop/mobile phone.

What is Isuru Udana’s claim to fame?

Having first caught the eye as a left-arm pace bowler during the T20 World Cup in 2009, Udana smashed 84* against South Africa in 2017, the highest score by a No. 8 in T20Is featuring Test-playing nations.

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