Fourth ODI Preview: South Africa vs. Sri Lanka

Fourth ODI Preview: South Africa vs. Sri Lanka

South Africa and Sri Lanka are ready to face off in the fourth One-Day International (ODI) of the five-match series in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday. The home side already have an unassailable lead the after winning the first three ODIs comprehensively, and therefore the remaining two matches have no value in the context on the ongoing series. In the batting department, the Proteas will be depending on the likes of wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock, captain Faf du Plessis and veteran all-rounder JP Duminy to score bulk of the runs, whereas in the bowling department, the onus will be on the likes of pacers Dale Steyn and Lungi Ngidi to provide timely breakthroughs. 

On the other hand, the Islanders will come in the match bitterly disappointed with the showing in the series, more so because they were coming after winning a historic Test series. Therefore, the visitors will be playing for pride as they will look to finish the series on a high. In the batting department, Sri Lanka will be depending on the likes of wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella and Kusal Mendis to score bulk of the runs, more so in the absence of star performer Kusal Perera, who has been ruled out of the remaining two matches in the series due to injury. On the bowling front, the visitors will be once again relying on captain Lasith Malinga, veteran pacer Thisara Perera and off-spinner Akila Dananjaya to produce timely breakthroughs. 

Key Players: 

Quinton de Kock – 10

South Africa and Sri Lanka are ready to face off in the fourth One-Day International (ODI) of the five-match series in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday. The home side already have an unassailable lead the after winning the first three ODIs comprehensively, and therefore the remaining two matches have no value in the context on the ongoing series. In the batting department, the Proteas will be depending on the likes of wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock, captain Faf du Plessis and veteran all-rounder JP Duminy to score bulk of the runs, whereas in the bowling department, the onus will be on the likes of pacers Dale Steyn and Lungi Ngidi to provide timely breakthroughs. 

On the other hand, the Islanders will come in the match bitterly disappointed with the showing in the series, more so because they were coming after winning a historic Test series. Therefore, the visitors will be playing for pride as they will look to finish the series on a high. In the batting department, Sri Lanka will be depending on the likes of wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella and Kusal Mendis to score bulk of the runs, more so in the absence of star performer Kusal Perera, who has been ruled out of the remaining two matches in the series due to injury. On the bowling front, the visitors will be once again relying on captain Lasith Malinga, veteran pacer Thisara Perera and off-spinner Akila Dananjaya to produce timely breakthroughs. 

Key Players: 

Quinton de Kock – 10 Cr

First in the list of key players features South Africa's Quinton de Kock. The wicketkeeper-batsman is in the form of his life in the ongoing five-match ODI series, where he is comfortably the leading run-getter with 296 runs in three matches, which included one hundred and two half-centuries. Those numbers suggest that De Kock is definitely the player to have in your team. The 26-year-old has played 104 ODIs for the Proteas, where he has scored 4,545 runs at an average of 45.90, which included 14 centuries and 20 fifties. 

Kusal Mendis – 8.5 Cr

Second in the list of key players features Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis. The 24-year-old is not having a great series by any stretch of imagination but is still the team's leading run-scorer with 125 runs in three matches at an average of 41.66. With Kusal Perera certain to miss the remaining matches, there will be added pressure on Mendis to deliver. Looking at his career in the five-day format in view, it can be concluded that Mendis best flourish under pressure, which is why he might not prove to be a bad pick for your team for the match on Wednesday, especially considering the pitch at the venue which is like a traditional Asian track. 

Lungi Ngidi – 8.5 Cr

Last in the list of key players features South Africa's Lungi Ngidi. The right-arm pacer is having a decent return in the 50-over format as he is the second-highest wicket-taker in the series with six scalps, only behind Imran Tahir (7) at an average of just 16. Those numbers suggest that Ngidi is in impressive form with the ball in hand, which is why he is the player to have in your team.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Azeem Siddiqui
Passionate sports follower in the field of sports journalism for more than five years. Loves writing about cricket, football, and tennis.
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