2nd ODI: Sri Lanka opt to bowl, Upul Tharanga left out

South Africa won the first match in the five-game series by eight wickets.

Centurion: Sri Lanka won the toss and sent South Africa in to bat in the second one-day international at Centurion’s SuperSport Park on Wednesday.

Captain Lasith Malinga said Sri Lanka had picked three seamers, adding Kasun Rajitha in place of left-arm spinner Lakshan Sandakan, because it was likely the pitch would help fast bowlers more than at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday. (LIVE SCORECARD: South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI)

South Africa won the first match in the five-game series by eight wickets. In a second change, opening batsman Avishka Fernando replaced Upul Tharanga.

Fernando’s only previous international was as an 18-year-old in 2016 when he failed to score against Australia. But he made an attacking 72 in Sri Lanka’s warm-up match against an Invitation XI last week.

South African captain Faf du Plessis said it was “pretty standard” that teams winning the toss in Centurion elected to chase. “It gets a bit skiddy in the evening and can be difficult to defend,” he said.

“But it is a nice opportunity for us to bat and hopefully for some of the guys to put their hands up with some good contributions.”

Allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo, who missed the first match because of hand injury, returned in place of Dwaine Pretorius in the only change for the home side.

Teams:

South Africa: Faf du Plessis (captain), Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Imran Tahir, Lungi Ngidi

Sri Lanka: Lasith Malinga (captain), Niroshan Dickwella, Avishka Fernando, Oshada Fernando, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera, Akila Dananjaya, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha

Umpires: Bongani Jele (RSA), Aleem Dar (PAK)

TV umpire: Richard Kettleborough (ENG)

Match referee: Richie Richardson (WIS)