Sri Lanka vs South Africa, 3rd ODI - Preview, Predicted XIs, Match Prediction, Weather Forecast, Pitch Report and Live Streaming Details

The third and final game of the ODI series between Sri Lanka and South Africa will be played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on September 7. It’s the deciding game of the series after the Proteas bounced back in the second match. An exciting match seems to be in store.

South Africa made a comeback in the second game to level the series. A clinical performance saw them defeat the hosts by 67 runs. Batting first, the Proteas put 283 on the board in a 47-over game. Janneman Malan, opening the batting, smashed a brilliant century to lay the platform for them to put in a good total.

The bowlers then knocked out Sri Lanka for 197 in the 37th over. Tabraiz Shamsi picked up a five-wicket haul as he spun a web around the hosts. They will be eager to repeat their performances in the decider.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, won the first game of the series but lost their way in the second match. The bowlers failed to restrict the Proteas to a low total. The spinners didn’t have the same impact as they had in the first game.

With the bat, Charith Asalanka tried hard but couldn’t take Sri Lanka closer to the target. After he was dismissed on 77, the hosts were bundled out for 197, falling short of the target by 67 runs. They will be eager to turn the tables on the Proteas and clinch the series in the decider.

Match Details:

Match: Sri Lanka vs South Africa, 3rd ODI

Date and Time: September 7, 2021 Tuesday, 02:30 PM IST

Venue: R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

Weather report:

Temperatures in Colombo on Tuesday are expected to be in the mid-20s. It will range between 26 and 29 degrees Celsius. There are high chances of rain in the morning. Conditions will stay cloudy throughout the day.

Pitch Report

The pitch at the R Premadasa Stadium is good for batting, where the ball comes nicely onto the bat. The track might assist the spinners from both sides as seen in the first two games. Fans can expect another high-scoring game on Tuesday.

Predicted Playing XIs

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka have looked good in the series so far. They have been outplayed in the second game but have the ability to bounce back in the series decider. Sri Lanka have a well-balanced team and should be expected to field the same XI that featured in the second game.

Playing XI: Avishka Fernando, Minod Bhanuka (wk), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Akila Dananjaya, Praveen Jayawickrama

South Africa

The Proteas have bounced back to level the series. The batsmen contributed with the bowlers stepping up to defend the total in the second game. A change in the playing XI is highly unlikely.

Playing XI: Janneman Malan, Aiden Markram, Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Wiaan Mulder, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Andile Phehlukwayo, Keshav Maharaj (c), George Linde, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi

Match prediction:

It’s all to play for in the decider on Tuesday. Both teams look strong on paper and have good balance to their sides. It will all come down to handling nerves in pressure situations in the final game of the series.

The home conditions will prove to be an advantage for Sri Lanka and they should come out on top against South Africa in the decider.