CT 2017, Match 3: South Africa v Sri Lanka – Statistical Preview

Champions Trophy is the only ICC event where South Africa were crowned as champions which was way back in 1998 and the current South African side would have their best chance to aim at the big tournament with all the key players around their prime.

Sri Lanka on other hand is a depleted side ever since the 2015 World Cup and their regular captain Angelo Mathews might even miss the team’s opener against the South Africa at The Oval. With the Proteas looking ahead in all aspects, the Lankans would look to put out their best from nowhere in an ICC event like always.

Ahead of the game, we look at some of the key numbers of records related to the game.

0.650 – Win-loss ratio of Sri Lanka in ODI cricket since the CWC15; the 3rd lowest ratio for any team in this period who featured in 25 or more ODIs. They managed to win only 13 out of the 38 ODIs and lost 20. Zimbabwe has a win-loss ratio of 0.407 in this period while Ireland has got the lowest with 0.388.

1 – Number of ODIs Sri Lanka have won outside the home since the CWC15 against the remaining 7 teams playing in the current Champions Trophy. They featured in 15 such ODIs in this period and lost 11 with 2 of those being wash out and one ending in a tie. Their sole away win against these sides in the last two years came against New Zealand in New Zealand in December 2015.

1.172 – South Africa’s win-loss ratio against Sri Lanka in ODI cricket is their 3rd lowest against any team. Their win-loss ratio in ODIs vs Australia is 0.957 while it is 1.115 vs England.

Head to head record in ODIs between South Africa and Sri Lanka:

2 – Number of times Nuwan Kulasekara has collectively dismissed Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers and JP Duminy.

His record vs each of the 5 South African key batsmen is:

105 runs in 129 balls; 0 dismissals vs Hashim Amla

47 runs in 49 balls; 0 dismissals vs Quinton de Kock

76 runs in 69 balls; 1 dismissal vs Faf du Plessis

47 runs in 36 balls; 1 dismissal vs AB de Villiers

21 runs in 26 balls; 0 dismissals vs JP Duminy

3 – Number of times South Africa and Sri Lanka has faced off each other in the Champions Trophy so far. South Africa won in 1998 and 2006 games while the Sri Lankans managed to gain an upper hand in the recent meeting in 2009.

7* – Number of consecutive ODI games in which South Africa have defeated Sri Lanka. SA’s winning streak started from the last ODI of 2014 series in SL and lasted till the recent ODI series.

24.5 – Lasith Malinga’s bowling strike-rate against South Africa in ODIs; his best against any side in this format. Malinga has picked up 32 wickets in 17 ODIs overs SA. His economy rate of 6.02 vs them in this format is also the highest against any side. (Min: More than one game played vs any team)

102.56 – JP Duminy’s batting strike-rate against Lasith Malinga in ODI cricket. Duminy has scored 80 runs in 78 balls against Malinga in this format and has never been dismissed.

118.82 – AB de Villiers’ batting strike-rate against Lasith Malinga in ODI cricket. ABD has scored 101 runs against Malinga from 82 balls in this format and was dismissed only once.

927 – Runs scored by AB de Villiers against Sri Lanka in the ODIs; the 2nd most runs by any South African player in this format against SL. Jacques Kallis has 1434 runs against the Lankans. ABD averages 54.54 against Sri Lanka and has scored 2 centuries and 7 fifties against them.

2012 – Last time Sri Lanka won in an ODI against South Africa away from home was way back in 2012 at the Johannesburg which they won by 2 wickets.