South Africa are set to begin their campaign in the ICC ODI World Cup with a match against Asian powerhouse Sri Lanka. The match will be hosted at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on October 7. South Africa will face stiff competition from Sri Lanka, who have recently wrapped up the Asia Cup as the runners-up on home soil.
South Africa played a five-match ODI series against Australia in their own backyard. The Proteas endured defeats in the first two ODIs but came roaring back in the following matches. With three back-to-back wins, South Africa sealed the home series 3-2. The victory over the five-time champions will certainly work as a huge confidence boost for South Africa.
The Temba Bavuma-led side will look to continue the momentum as they eye the maiden World Cup triumph in history. Sri Lanka will go into their campaign opener after losing both of their warm-up matches. The Islander nation first endured a humiliating 7-wicket loss at the hands of Bangladesh before Afghanistan beat them by 6 wickets.
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Pitch Report:
The wicket at the Arun Jaitley Stadium is known to have unpredictable bounce, despite being considered a batting paradise. To find momentum, batters will need to give themselves time and play each ball carefully. As the boundaries are quite short and the outfield is fast, we can hope for a high-scoring clash between South Africa and Sri Lanka. Like most of the Indian pitches, spinners will get more assistance than the pacers in Delhi.
Weather Report:
The weather in New Delhi is expected to remain clear on October 7. So there is no chance of rain affecting the World Cup match between South Africa and Sri Lanka. The temperature could hover around 25 degrees Celsius to 36 degrees Celsius, while the humidity is anticipated to be around 46-60 percent. The wind speed will be around 7-15 km/h during the 50-over clash.
Full Squads For South Africa and Sri Lanka ICC ODI World Cup 2023 Match:
South Africa Full Squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Lizaad Williams
Sri Lanka Full Squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Kusal Mendis (vc), Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Kumara, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushan Hemantha