After losing the opening match, South Africa came back with a clinical performance against Sri Lanka in the second ODI, at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. They won by 67 runs to level the series 1-1.
The match was reduced to 47 overs a side due to rain. South Africa posted 283/6 after opting to bat, courtesy Janneman Malan’s spirited 135-ball 121. Tabraiz Shamsi (5-49) then spun a web around the Sri Lankan batters to bowl out them for 197 in 36.4 overs.
Malan and Aiden Markram added 43 in 53 balls to give South Africa a promising start. Chamika Karunaratne gave Sri Lanka their first breakthrough after Markram nicked him through to Minod Bhanuka.
Reeza Hendricks (51 in 54 balls), playing his first ODI for South Africa since February 2020, forged a 96-run second-wicket stand with Malan to lay the platform for others.
Coming at No. 5, Heinrich Klaasen played a 27-ball 43, adding 86 with Malan, before Dushmantha Chameera got both batters with successive balls in the 45th over. George Linde then played a breezy cameo to help South Africa post a competitive total.
Sri Lanka were never really in the chase, especially after losing their top three – Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka, and Bhanuka Rajapaksa – inside six overs. Dhananjaya de Silva did not last long either as they slipped to 61/4 in 14.1 overs.
Charith Asalanka got a valiant 69-ball 77 but received little support from his teammates. Shamsi dismissed him in the 29th over. Dasun Shanaka and Karunaratne made 30 and 36 respectively, but that was not enough for Sri Lanka, who they had been derailed in the early stages of the chase.
The decider will take place at the same venue, on 7 September.
Brief scores: South Africa 283/6 in 47 overs (Janneman Malan 121; Chamika Karunaratne 2-24) beat Sri Lanka 197 in 36.4 overs (Charith Asalanka 77; Tabraiz Shamsi 5-49) by 67 runs (DLS method). Player of the Match: Janneman Malan.