The ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 league stage is over, knockouts will start with a high-profile quarter-final clash between South Africa and Sri Lanka in Sydney on 18th March and both teams are fully aware on how vital it is to win this game and book their place in the 1st semi-final in Auckland.
The colourful Sydney ground will have lots of atmosphere with a full-house expected even though it is a Wednesday. Most Sri Lankans will be on fake sick leave to watch the game. Can Sri Lanka do what they know the best? Can South Africa take the‘Knockout Monkey’ off their backs?
Sri Lanka possess the most experienced team in the tournament with a recently settled batting unit which has scored 8 centuries in the current campaign but their bowling attack is struggling to take all 10 wickets. South Africa has the luxury of a dangerous batting lineup with plenty of match-winners and a lethal set of bowlers who can trouble any batsman on any day.
Most importantly who will succumb to the pressure of a knockout game? History suggests, Sri Lanka somehow do their best during the big stage but South Africa chokes during these types of matches. They have not won a single knockout game in the history of 50-over World Cups.
Another aspect in everyone’s mind, will be that Sri Lanka has only lost to Australia and New Zealand while South Africa was defeated by two South-Asian teams, India and Pakistan. If Sri Lanka loses this game, it will be the final time the cricketing world will see the likes of Mahela Jayawardene playing international cricket. Few injuries have tested the bench strength of Sri Lanka while South Africa has no injury problems going into this marquee clash.
Kumar Sangakkara vs AB De Villiers
Two of the most accomplished batsmen presently in the world and one of them will go home on 18th March. Sangakkara playing his final ODI tournament has been like a fine wine scoring 4 back to back centuries while De Villiers had been the lone fighter for the South Africans during crunch games. They will fight for the number one ODI batting ranking during this match but it will not affect their style of play but winning will be the only thing in their mind. Sangakkara will be always about pure class while De Villiers will showcase his unique flair.
Two contrasting bowling attacks
Lasith Malinga started the World Cup without any match practices or rhythm but he has hit his strides as the tournament progressed. Sri Lanka will pin their hopes on Malinga’s performances to lead their bowling attack which is one of the weakest among the top 8 teams but the Sydney surface will be helpful for the Lankan spinners and they will most probably play two front-line slow bowlers if Rangana Herath is declared fit.
The South African bowling lineup is more settled with three front-line seamers, Steyn, Morkel, Philander and the spin of Imran Tahir. Behardien and Duminy will be the part-timers to make up the rest of the attack but how will they stop the marauding Lankan batting unit? They will have to take out the in-form top 3 as early as possible.
Key Statistics
1. The last 16 ODIs between these two sides have produced 8 wins apiece.
2. AB De Villiers needs only 7 runs to surpass Jacque Kallis as South Africa’s leading World Cup run scorer.
3. Kumar Sangakkara needs 1 stumping to be the first to 100 ODI stumpings.
4. Sri Lanka has won six of their last nine completed ODIs at SCG.
Teams:
South Africa (From): Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock(wk), Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers(c), Rilee Rossouw, David Miller, Jean-Paul Duminy, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir, Morne Morkel, Farhaan Behardien, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Kyle Abbott.
Sri Lanka (From): Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar Sangakkara(wk), Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews(c), Kusal Janith Perera, Thisara Perera, Seekkuge Prasanna, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Sachithra Senanayake, Dushmantha Chameera, Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal, Upul Tharanga.
