For the first time since 2019, South Africa and Sri Lanka are set to face off in a bilateral series. The 6-match white-ball series kicks off with the 1st of 3 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) that’ll be played at Willowmoore Park, Benoni, on the 27th of March, 2024, at 9:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST).
Squads:
South Africa – Laura Wolvaardt (C), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Eliz-Mari Marx, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloé Tryon
Sri Lanka – Chamari Athapaththu (C), Vishmi Gunaratne, Nilakshi de Silva, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Hasini Perera, Anushka Sanjeewani, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoka Ranaweera, Achini Kulasuriya, Hansima Karunaratne, Imesha Dulani, Kawya Kavindi, Inoshi Fernando, Sugandika Kumari, Prasadini Weerakkody
Players to watch out:
Laura Wolvaardt
The 24-year-old opening batter, with an average of 34.54 and a strike rate of 111.18, has racked up 1451 runs from 58 T20I innings. Laura in a recent T20 competition registered successive scores of 28, 76, and 43, and it’ll be hoped she carries forward the form into this series.
Nadine de Klerk
The 24-year-old all-rounder in T20Is, from 34 innings, has accumulated 439 runs, while from 38 outings has bagged 37 wickets. Nadine has been in excellent form of late and in her recent T20 outing produced figures of 2/35. She can be relied upon for an all-round effort.
Chamari Athapaththu
The 34-year-old all-rounder has amassed 2651 runs from 120 T20I outings and has struck 40 wickets from 65 innings, registering bests of 113 and 3/17. Chamari didn’t find much success in a recent T20 tournament, especially with the bat, but can be banked upon to stage a turnaround.
Inoka Ranaweera
The 38-year-old left-arm off-spinner from 78 T20I appearances has claimed 88 wickets, including the best of 4/7, at an average of 17.57 and an economy rate of 5.77. Inoka displayed decent form in the 2024 domestic competitions, and it is expected that she will capitalize on the momentum.
Pitch:
The Willowmoore Park dishes out a well-balanced center wicket that’s favorable for both batters and bowlers, particularly the pacers to make an impact on the game. The average score in the 140s indicates favorable conditions for scoring runs as well.
Weather:
The conditions are ideal for a game of cricket at Willowmoore Park, Benoni, with clear overhead and a minimal chance of rain. The temperature is expected to hover around 22°C, with light winds and humidity of 62%.
Fantasy playing XI:
Anushka Sanjeewani, Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, Suné Luus, Chamari Athapaththu, Kavisha Dilhari, Marizanne Kapp, Nadine de Klerk, Chloé Tryon, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Masabata Klaas
Match details:
Date – March 27, 2024
Time – 9:30 PM IST
Venue – Willowmoore Park, Benoni
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on the FanCode app and website.