After a drubbing in the opening Test, Sri Lanka will be looking to bounce back and tie up the two-match Test series against South Africa as they head to Gqeberha.
The experienced visitors have enough resources in the bank to fight back. Ahead of the second Test between South Africa and Sri Lanka, here are our match preview and predictions.
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South Africa vs Sri Lanka 2nd Test | Sri Lanka tour of South Africa 2024 | 14:00 IST, December 5–9 2024
The opening game saw both sides struggle with the bat initially. The hosts were bundled out for 191, which could’ve been worse had it not been for a fighting 70 from captain Temba Bavuma and some lower-order contributions from Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada. They hit hard with the ball, though, knocking Sri Lanka out for a mere 42 as Marco Jansen registered a stunning seven-wicket haul. The Proteas then found their groove with the bat in the second innings as twin centuries from Tristan Stubbs and Bavuma propelled them to a massive lead of 515. The bowlers then once again did the job for South Africa as Jansen led the charge with able support from Rabada, Maharaj, and Gerald Coetzee.
Ahead of the second Test, South Africa’s biggest worries will be the injuries to Wiaan Mulder and Coetzee, which may result in the introduction of Dane Paterson and Senuran Muthusamy to the starting XI.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, started strong with the ball as Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara knocked out the hosts early on, but it was a complete batting collapse in the first innings as only two of their batters crossed the double-digit mark. While the Lankans did fight back in a chase of 516, with Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, and Kusal Mendis trying against all odds to stay in the game, it was ultimately too much. Sri Lanka know they have plenty of experience in the squad and would need the likes of Dimuth Karunaratne, Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, and de Silva to step up with the bat.
Moving to St. George’s Park, the Lankans will back themselves on a spin-friendly track, having Prabath Jayasuriya and de Silva at their disposal. The hosts will once again hold the advantage, though we should be in for a much closer game.
Fantasy XI: Dimuth Karunaratne, Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs,Tony de Zorzi, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj Prabath Jayasuriya
Venue: Gqeberha
Winners Prediction: South Africa
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