Live Report - South Africa vs Sri Lanka, World Cup 2023

13m ago

Another gorgeous drive from Rassie, his sixth four to go along with his solitary six, and he's cruised along to a 51-ball half-century, his 17th in ODIs, and his fourth in seven World Cup innings, following his impressive displays in England four years ago. He's well on course to extend his already stellar ODI average of 56.78, and could he even pass 2000 ODI runs today? If he does, South Africa will be cooking. Either way, his stand with Quinton de Kock is edging towards three figures, and with that powerhouse middle-order lurking, there's 350-plus in the post today...

31m ago

Time for a drink in Delhi ... and a sit-down too, to judge by the chairs being brought onto the outfield.

As everyone knows, South Africa's World Cup history is not for the faint-hearted ... how will this team cope with the legacy of its forebears? Dale Steyn, who was in the thick of the heartbreak in 2015, told ESPNcricinfo's Matchday show that they are well placed to go under the radar.

46m ago

The first sighting of spin from Sri Lanka, and after a brief sighter, South Africa quickly click into a higher gear. Dhananjaya de Silva's fourth ball is lifted majestically over long-off, as Rassie van der Dussen picks the fuller length and reaches it with measured footwork and a high follow-through. The next ball is a touch unlucky, a genuine nick that flies through deep third, but no doubts about the follow-up, as Rassie rocks back to slam another four through the covers. The fifty stand comes up from a steady 56 balls, and though Sri Lanka have kept a lid on the scoring, that wickets column still looks potent.

55m ago

Balls 0.6 to 2.2

Balls 2.3 to 8.3

I do love a ball-graphic, as you might have seen. But this tells a tale. All six of South Africa's fours (and their only wicket) came in the space of nine deliveries, as Sri Lanka strayed into the slot and got pumped for their sins. Since then, they've dragged it back superbly, giving nothing hittable whatsoever until, in his first over, Dasun Shanaka offers a thigh-height half-tracker that Quinton de Kock slams over deep midwicket. The lesson seems to be, nothing too short, nothing too full ... easy game really.

1h ago

After eight runs in his first two balls, van der Dussen now has one more from his next ten, as he sets out his stall to anchor this South African innings, even playing out a maiden from Rajitha in the process. A tidier length is the key for Sri Lanka, on or just back of full.

1h ago

Rajitha drags his length back to reduce the damage in his second over, but by then de Kock's innings is properly underway, with a brace of exquisite drives through the covers as he just leans out of his crease and lets the ball come onto the middle of his blade. South Africa are rushing along at nine an over after three, and little wonder, to judge by the head-to-head between batter and bowler.

1h ago

Short and sweet from Bavuma... he was looking in ominous form for his first four balls, but after rising onto his toes to pump Dilshan Madushanka through the covers for his second boundary, he was trapped on the crease by the fuller length, swinging in and cramping the captain on a tight leg-stump line. The review was to no avail and Sri Lanka have their opening. Still, Rassie van der Dussen arrives with a brace of boundaries (the second rather streaky) to confirm the impression that this could still be a riotous display.

1h ago

Ominous signs in another otherwise tidy first over from Kasun Rajitha, which is met initially with an arrow-straight blade as Quinton de Kock gauges the pace of the wicket, before Temba Bavuma laces the final ball of the over for a sweetly timed four through deep third. The ball is coming onto the bat very nicely already. South Africa's powerful line-up will approve.

1h ago

2h ago

Dasun Shanaka wins the toss, and chooses to bowl first. "Very good track, we want to restrict them to as low as possible. Apart from key injuries we're building up well."

Three fast bowlers, and three allrounders in for Sri Lanka, making for an eight-man batting line-up.

"We don't mind, we wanted to bowl first but we've got batting as our first responsibility," says Temba Bavuma. South Africa are going in with four fast bowlers, including Gerald Coetzee, and Keshav Maharaj as the specialist spinner.

South Africa 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Temba Bavuma (capt), 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Gerald Coetzee, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Lungi Ngidi.

Sri Lanka 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Perera, 3 Kusal Mendis (wk), 4 Sadeera Samarawickrama, 5 Charith Asalanka, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva, 7 Dasun Shanaka (capt), 8 Dunith Wellalage, 9 Kasun Rajitha, 10 Dilshan Madushanka, 11 Matheesha Pathirana.

2h ago

Welcome to ESPNcricinfo's Live Blog for Match #4 of the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. It's South Africa versus Sri Lanka at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi, and I'm Andrew Miller.

What narrative is in store for South Africa this time out? Of all the major nations competing at this World Cup, their World Cup history is surely riven with more heartbreak than any other. But they come to this campaign armed to the teeth with hardened campaigners, not least in the batting, where Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller offer some of the most powerful strokeplay that any nation can hope to serve up.

As for Sri Lanka... they were Asia Cup finalists only last month (though the less said about that actual match the better). Their batting has been malfunctioning of late, and their bowling is injury-hit - the loss of Wanindu Hasaranga is particularly galling. But the surface at Delhi tends to favour the spinners, and they've still got plenty of those.

Ball-by-ball commentary for this match is available in Hindi and in Tamil as well.

30 Nov 1899, 12:00 am