SA vs SL 2024: Top 3 performers from the series

The two-match series between South Africa and Sri Lanka ended in the hosts clinching a convincing 2-0 win. The series was surrounded by significant hype ahead of its commencement. Both of the sides were coming off triumphs in their respective two-match series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, respectively.

The hosts emerged on top in the Durban Test by a dominating margin of 233 runs. It was a game of contrasting performances with the bat. The batting performance from both the sides in the first innings was severely underwhelming, with Sri Lanka getting knocked over for their lowest Test score (42) up until now. However, a couple of centuries in the third innings followed by an all-round bowling display secured victory in four days from the start of the game.

The second Test, however, was a closer contest than the first one. This time around, both the sides were almost on level terms in their first innings. It was their second innings which made the difference in the end, coupled with the transformed nature of the pitch being more conducive to spinners as the game progressed.

Let's have a look at top 3 performances from the series

3. Prabath Jayasuriya

Prabath Jayasuriya emerged as the second-leading wicket-taker for Sri Lanka in the series. The left-arm spinner ended with 10 wickets in four innings. Bowling 110 overs across the series, he was successful in conceding going at only 3.35 per over. His bowling average was 36.90.

Prabath bowled just five overs in the first innings of the first Test. The bulk of the workload was assigned to the Lankan pacers. However, he was shouldered a major responsibility in South Africa's second innings. He ended up bowling 40 overs in that innings - more than twice the amount any other Lankan bowler bowled.

Although the 33-year-old toiled hard in the opposition's first innings in the second game, he only ended up with one wicket to his name. With the bat, Prabath contributed 24 vital runs while coming in at No. 8 during his side's first innings. His final opportunity to shine with the ball was when he spun the Proteas batters into a web, securing his 10th five-wicket haul in Tests in the process.