Cricket World Cup memories: Sri Lanka v South Africa
The two sides have clashed five times at the Men’s World Cup, which have included some enthralling ties.
Take a trip down memory lane by looking back at their World Cup meetings below.
2 March 1992 (Wellington)
Sri Lanka won by 3 wickets
The two sides’ first meeting at the ICC Cricket World Cup came during South Africa’s tournament debut in 1992, and they produced a thrilling encounter in Wellington.
Peter Kirsten top-scored for the Proteas with 47, while Kepler Wessels – playing at his first World Cup for South Africa after previously representing Australia in 1983 – scored 40 at the top of the order as they finished on 195.
In a nail-biting chase, Sri Lanka reached the target with one ball to spare. Opener Roshan Mahanama and Arjuna Ranatunga did the bulk of the work, scoring 68 and 64* respectively.
19 May 1999 (Northampton)
South Africa won by 89 runs
Sri Lanka and South Africa’s last Men’s World Cup meeting in England came in 1999, when the Proteas won comfortably at Northampton.
Lance Klusener – who was named Player of the Tournament – scored 52* off 45 balls to help South Africa to a total of 199/9.
He was just as effective with the ball, finishing with figures of 3/21 from 5.2 overs. Klusener was supported by Jacques Kallis (3/26) and Shaun Pollock (2/10) as Sri Lanka were skittled for just 110.
3 March 2003 (Durban)
Match tied
The two sides played out one of the most famous ties in Cricket World Cup history when they met in 2003.
For the second World Cup running, South Africa were knocked out due to a tied game, following their semi-final drama against Australia in 1999.
South Africa were 229/6 chasing Sri Lanka’s total of 269 – which included a marvellous century from Marvan Atapattu - when persistent rain forced the teams off the field.
They failed to score with the final ball of the 45th over – the last delivery before rain forced play to stop – and after checking the Duckworth-Lewis sheet, it became evident that the match would end in a tie and South Africa would be eliminated.
28 March 2007 (Guyana)
South Africa won by 1 wicket
The drama continued four years later when they met in the Super Eights stage.
A five-for from Charl Langeveldt helped restrict Sri Lanka to 209 all out, despite half-centuries from Tillakaratne Dilshan and Russel Arnold.
In reply, Sri Lanka paceman Lasith Malinga took the first of his two World Cup hat-tricks, dismissing Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall and Jaqcues Kallis in consecutive deliveries, before making it four-in-a-row by clean bowling Makhaya Ntini.
However, it was in vain, as South Africa sneaked to their target with one wicket to spare.
18 March 2015 (Sydney)
South Africa won by 9 wickets
JP Duminy takes a Cricket World Cup hat-trick
JP Duminy spins Sri Lanka out, bagging a hat- trick at a crucial time in the CWC15 Quarter-Final in Sydney on March 18.
South Africa booked their spot in the semi-finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 by thrashing Sri Lanka in Sydney.
Four wickets from Imran Tahir and a hat-trick from JP Duminy helped skittle Sri Lanka for just 133 inside 38 overs.
South Africa didn’t hang about in knocking the target off, scoring at a rate of 7.44 per over to get there after just 18 overs, Quinton de Kock top-scoring with 78* off 57 balls.
Sri Lanka and South Africa meet at the Riverside Durham at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. You can apply for tickets in the Public Ballot, which opens on 1 August. Click here to pre-register.