South Africa is by far the toughest opponent Sri Lanka
could have chosen to play first in the World Cup.
South Africa, in comparison, appears to be a
well-oiled machine, ready for the flat surfaces this World Cup is projected to
bring. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, enters this match with serious doubts
about their batting and a bowling attack that has been decimated by injuries.
South Africa’s bowling is an area where there may be
some worries. They are losing a little bit of bite up front and at the end
since Anrich Nortje and Sisanda Magala are both injured and cannot play. They
also don’t have as many choices in the spin department, with only Keshav
Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi available, compared to some other teams.
South Africa has loaded their lineup with power
hitters, but Sri Lanka is concerned about the lack of them at positions six and
seven. Quinton de Kock is at the top, and if he doesn’t get you, then Aiden
Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, and David Miller are in the middle order. All of
this comes before you reach the lower-middle order, which includes Andile
Phehlukwayo and Marco Jansen. Only Phehlukwayo among them averages less than 90
(88.04) in ODIs.
Thankfully, this game is being played in Delhi for Sri
Lanka. Sri Lanka has the right bowlers on a typically sluggish and unstable
ground.
Sri Lanka has bowled out the opponents in 14 of their
last 15 games. Although the ease with which Bangladesh and Afghanistan defeated
them in the warm-ups indicated the difficult struggle their bowlers are set to
encounter, in Delhi, they may succeed.
However, they will have to accomplish it without their
star player. Maheesh Theekshana joined the team after the game had already
started, but his recuperation from a torn hamstring makes this contest too soon
for him.
In contrast, South Africa won’t have happy memories of
Delhi after they were defeated there for 99 in their most recent match in
October 2022. However, Sri Lanka will have their job cut out for them if the
surface plays more like the one that was there during their T20I chase of 212
just a few months earlier.