South Africa will host Sri Lanka in a two-Test series starting November 27 with both teams gunning for a place in the final of the World Test Championship to be held at Lords.
After a dominant performance against Bangladesh, South Africa finds itself at a crossroads and facing a must-win situation. Fifth in the WTC, with a 4-3 record so far, it will take nothing less than winning the remaining four Tests against Sri Lanka and Pakistan to reach Lords.
Sri Lanka, with five wins and four losses in third place, comes with its own hopes and dreams. The island nation is looking to claim its first Test series victory on South African soil, adding another dimension of suspense to this high-stakes conflict.
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SA vs SL head-to-head records: 1st Test, Sri Lanka tour of South Africa 2024
|
Statistics |
Matches |
SA won |
SL won |
Draw |
NR |
|
In general |
31 |
16 |
09 |
06 |
00 |
|
In the last 5 games |
5 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
In ongoing series |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
In South Africa |
17 |
14 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
Head-to-head records between SA and SL: key statistics
South Africa and Sri Lanka have met 31 times in Test cricket, with South Africa leading the rivalry with 16 wins, compared to Sri Lanka’s 9.
Six matches ended in draws and none were abandoned. South Africa’s dominance is even clearer at home, where they won 14 of 17 matches, while Sri Lanka managed only 3 victories.
Recent form has been slightly in Sri Lanka’s favor with 3 wins from the last 5, with South Africa winning 2. The series that will take place is yet to be determined.
This head-to-head history showed how strong South Africa were, especially at home, but Sri Lanka’s recent resistance shows they can be competitive in the upcoming Test series.
Head-to-head records between SA and SL: last 5 matches
Sri Lanka have done quite well against South Africa in the last five matches, with Sri Lanka leading South Africa 3-2.
Head-to-head records between SA and SL: Best players:
In the rivalry between South Africa and Sri Lanka, Mahela Jayawardene leads the scoring charts with 1,782 runs in 32 innings at an impressive average of 57.48, including a high score of 374 and six centuries. Kumar Sangakkara is next with 1,534 runs, at an average of 47.93.
Among South African players, Daryll Cullinan tops the list with 917 runs at an average of 53.94, including five centuries. Jacques Kallis is second for South Africa with 894 runs and an average of 38.86.
Conclusion
The head-to-head history between SA and SL in Tests makes it very clear that South Africa has the advantage in this rivalry. Not only does South Africa have the overall record on their side, they have also dominated Sri Lanka in their backyard.