SL vs SA: Five players to watch out for in thee-match T20I series
South Africa will aim for redemption in the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, starting from Friday (September 10). Having clinched the ODI leg of the tour 2-1, the Lankan Lions would be high on confidence and won’t mind registering another series victory at home. On the other hand, the Proteas side has to rectify their mistakes to get a different result this time around.
With the high-voltage T20 World Cup 2021 being just a month away, both sides will view the series as an ideal preparation opportunity. With both teams comprising several T20 stars, fans can also witness some exciting action between the ball and the willow.
Here are five players to watch out for from SL vs SA T20I series:
Quinton de Kock
The wicketkeeper-batter didn’t feature in the ODI leg, and his absence hurt South Africa. However, the southpaw will be back in action, and he has a job in hand. De Kock can make optimum utilization of the powerplay overs to score quick runs. Playing long knocks isn’t beyond his reach either. Hence, he would be critical to South Africa’s fate in the series.
Wanindu Hasaranga
The Sri Lankan leg-spinner has certainly made a name for himself in the past few years. Although Wanindu Hasaranga is not a massive turner of the ball, he can deceive batters with his accuracy and variations. Hasaranga did well in the preceding ODI series as well, scalping four wickets in three games. Not to forget, he can also play cameos lower down the order.
Tabraiz Shamsi
The top-ranked T20I bowler, Tabraiz Shamsi will certainly possess a massive threat of Sri Lankan batters. The left-arm wrist-spinner can choke the scoring rate, and his knack of taking regular wickets makes him even more effective. Notably, Shamsi was phenomenal in the ODI leg as well. He took eight wickets in three games, including a five-wicket haul.
Charith Asalanka
Charith Asalanka has been impressive in his brief international career so far, and many are viewing him as the next big thing in Sri Lankan cricket. The southpaw can anchor the innings in the middle overs, and his big-hitting prowess adds the cherry on the cake. Asalanka was instrumental in Sri Lanka’s triumph in the ODI leg. He scored 197 runs in four games, with his strike rate being a tad below 100.
Kagiso Rabada
One of the finest fast bowlers going around, Kagiso Rabada will hold the key for South Africa. From swinging the ball to nailing yorkers and bouncers, the speedster has many weapons to torment batters. Having scalped four wickets in three games, Rabada might not have been at his best during the ODI leg. However, he’s expected to bounce back strongly.
