Proteas World Cup hopes receive massive boost thanks to New Zealand thrashing Sri Lanka

New Zealand did the Proteas a massive favour in Auckland on Saturday, thrashing Sri Lanka by 198 runs to win the first of three ODIs. 

South Africa and Sri Lanka are fighting to secure automatic qualification to the 2023 50-over World Cup in India later this year, and this series counts towards log points in the ICC World Super League. 

Saturday's result effectively means that the Proteas now have their fate back in their own hands, to an extent, and if they can secure a 2-0 series win over the Netherlands on 31 March and 2 April, then they will almost certainly qualify. 

Ireland would still be able to finish level on points with the Proteas if they beat Bangladesh 3-0 in their upcoming ODI series, potentially moving the Proteas into the World Cup qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe in June, but Sri Lanka were considered the more likely threat. 

Playing just his fourth match for the Black Caps, tall seamer Henry Shipley took 5-31 as the tourists were skittled for 76 at Eden Park, their lowest ODI score against New Zealand.

Sri Lanka's capitulation in just 19.5 overs was their fifth-heaviest loss by runs to any ODI opponent, and New Zealand's seventh-biggest win.

The visitors never recovered after slumping to 31-5, with only three batters reaching double figures, including top scorer Angelo Mathews (18).

It comes just two months after Sri Lanka's world-record 317-run loss to India in Thiruvananthapuram -- when they were skittled for 73.

The tourists needed a clean sweep of the three-match series to take an automatic World Cup berth.

With that no longer a possibility, they are increasingly likely to be forced to play in a qualifying tournament in June-July.