DURBAN, South Africa — In the first test match against South Africa on Wednesday, Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to field first.
South Africa had previously finalized their playing XI a day before the test, with no alterations made to the squad. On the other hand, Sri Lanka opted for a pace-heavy attack, featuring three fast bowlers: Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, and Lahiru Kumara, along with a single spinner, Prabath Jayasuriya.
Currently, Sri Lanka is positioned third in the World Test Championship standings, while South Africa ranks fourth, both teams trailing behind Australia, India, and New Zealand.
Historical performance in South Africa, especially in Durban, provides Sri Lanka with a boost of confidence. Notably, they are the only Asian nation to have triumphed over South Africa in a test series on home soil, achieving this feat in 2019. Out of the players currently on the squad, seven were instrumental in that 2-0 series victory. Sri Lanka boasts an undefeated record in their three tests played at Kingsmead in Durban.
South Africa, by contrast, arrives at this match following successful away series against the West Indies and Bangladesh, establishing a strong run of form.
The second test is slated to commence on December 5 in Port Elizabeth, now known as Gqeberha.
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Lineups:
South Africa: Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Kusal Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando
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