LONDON: Sri Lanka won the toss and put South Africa in to bat first in their Champions Trophy opener at the Oval on Saturday.
Top-ranked South Africa have already enjoyed overwhelming one-day international success against Sri Lanka this year.
They whitewashed Sri Lanka 5-0 in a bilateral series in South Africa in January. Sri Lanka were not alone in being a touring side routed in 50-over cricket by South Africa, with the Proteas previously also hammering Australia 5-0.
Yet South Africa have a reputation for under-performing in ICC tournaments. The only ICC event they have won was the inaugural Champions Trophy in 1998.
South Africa also boast the world´s number one-ranked ODI batsman and bowler in AB de Villiers and Kagiso Rabada, respectively.
In all they have four batsmen and two bowlers in the respective top 10 ICC rankings, while seventh-placed Sri Lanka have none in either list.
“We´re still ranked the No 1 team in the world going into the tournament, so there are quite a few reasons for us to be confident,” said South Africa ODI captain de Villiers, whose side were beaten 2-1 away to Champions Trophy hosts England in a preceding three-match warm-up series.
“But we´re still humble at the same time and know that we have to work hard and take it one step at a time to win this,” he added.
Sri Lanka head into the tournament as underdogs and one of the key reasons they´ve struggled in recent months has been the absence of fast bowler Lasith Malinga, who hasn´t played any ODI cricket since November 2015 due to a knee injury.
The return of Malinga, whose unorthodox, slingshot action makes him one of the most difficult bowlers to face in world cricket, would be a massive boost for Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka skipper and all-rounder Angelo Mathews has been forced to sit out during South Africa match, after scans revealed some days ago he´d suffered a calf strain.
