Sri Lanka vs South Africa 1st T20I – Betting Tips

Sri Lanka will face South Africa in the first T20I of the three-match series at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday. 

The home team will be coming in this fixture high on-confidence after beating South Africa in the recently concluded three-match ODI series.

The team management will be hoping that the players can maintain their standards with bat and ball.

On the other hand, the visitors will be coming in with low confidence, after losing the recently concluded three-match ODI series. 

The team management will be hoping that side can make amends for their mistakes and deliver a strong show in this opening contest.

Both teams have competed 13 times in the shorter format where South Africa have a clear superiority with 7 wins compared to Sri Lanka’s just five victories whereas one match ended in a tie.

Sri Lanka Form and Team news: 

After winning the recently concluded series in the 50-over format against the same opposition, Sri Lanka will be desperate for some good results in the 20-over contests. 

In the batting department, the onus will be on the in-form opening batsman Avishka Fernando, Captain Dasun Shanaka, all-rounders Dhananjaya de Silva and Wanindu Hasaranga to score the bulk of the runs in this opening encounter.

On the bowling front, the onus will be on the likes of pacer Dushmantha Chameera along with the spin trio of Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana and Praveen Jayawickrama to deliver crucial breakthroughs in this fixture.

South Africa Form and Team news: 

After losing the ODI series, the visitors will have to learn ways to counter Sri Lankan spinners in this T20I series.

In the batting department, the Men-in-Blue will be relying on the likes of openers Janneman Malan, Aiden Markram, Reeza Hendricks, middle-order duo of Rassie van der Dussen and wicket-keeper Heinrich to score the bulk of the runs in this fixture.

On the bowling front, the onus will be on the likes of pacer Wiaan Mulder and Kagiso Rabada along with the spin trio of Keshav Maharaj, George Linde and Tabraiz Shamsi to produce timely breakthroughs.

Odds by Casumo

According to the Casumo sportsbook, South Africa will be clear favorites to win the opening game of the T20I series to be played at R.Premadasa Stadium. For the series opener, South Africa are placed at 1.64 odds, while Sri Lanka is at 2.17 odds.

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Our Tipsters Angle

Even though the recently concluded ODI series ended with a score of 2-1, clearly South Africa struggled against the Sri Lanka spinners. The home side might opt for all-out spin attack to dismantle South Africa’s batting lineup. 

Therefore, the prediction is for the Dasun Shanaka led unit to secure a win in the first fixture to go 1-0 up in the three-match T20I series.  

Tip 1- South Africa’s decent record against Sri Lanka

Keshav Maharaj-led unit will take heart from the fact that they have won three T20I matches out of five played in Sri Lanka. So we can expect South Africa to register a comfortable win in the T20I series [email protected].

Tip 2-Dushmantha Chameera to lead the way for Sri Lanka with the ball in hand.

Since September 2020, pacer Deepak Chahar has been a consistent performer for Sri Lanka in the T20 format. He has claimed 14 wickets in nine outings at an average of 15.07 with one five-for to his name. Given his excellent performances in the shortest format of the game, we expect pacer Dushmantha Chameera to take one wicket or more in this opening [email protected]

Conclusion

Expect Sri Lanka to beat South Africa the T20I series opener at Colombo.

1. South Africa to register a comfortable win in the T20I series opener-South Africa @2.50
2. Pacer Dushmantha Chameera to take one wicket or more in this opening [email protected]

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