T20 World Cup: Sri Lanka hope New York wicket can help them tame South Africa's batters

Sri Lanka will hope for some help from the pitch as they seek to blunt a formidable South Africa batting line-up in their T20 World Cup opener on Monday.

The Lankans, aiming to reach their first T20 World Cup knockout phase since winning the trophy in 2014, face the Proteas in Group D at New York's Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.

Coach Chris Silverwood will hope the low, slow pitch at the ground, with its drop-in wicket, will give some assistance to Sri Lanka's spinners.

In the opening game at the venue, a warm-up match between India and Bangladesh, some deliveries barely got above knee level.

The Proteas boast a formidable array of power hitters such as skipper Aiden Markram, wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen, Quinton de Koch, David Miller and Tristan Stubbs.

In the recent Indian Premier League, Klassen made 471 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 171 for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Stubbs accumulated 378 runs from 14 matches at a strike rate of 190 for Delhi Capitals.

Both bring destructive hitting to the South Africans’ middle order and are very effective against spin.

That will be a concern for Sri Lanka’s spinners such as skipper Wanindu Hasaranga, the leading wicket-taker at the past two T20 World Cups, and Maheesh Theekshana, who have been struggling with injury of late.

But Sri Lanka must hope that their more varied attack, which also includes pacers Matheesha Pathirana and Dilshan Madushanka, will get more from the wicket than the Proteas.

The South Africans' attack leans heavily on express-paced Kagiso Rabada and left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi.

Anrich Nortje is still searching for form after returning from a back injury and had a poor IPL, conceding more than 11 runs an over.

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