South Africa have a good chance to get into the top four in the World Cup: Lasith Malinga

Lasith Malinga, Sri Lanka’s ODI captain, who who endured a series whitewash in South Africa, believes that South Africa have a good chance to make it to the semi-finals of the upcoming 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup in England. (ALSO READ: Faf du Plessis’ South Africa pin World Cup hopes on bowlers)

“In the World Cup you never know what can go on. Whoever does best on the day will win,” he said. “They (South Africa) have good fighting characters and match-winners that the team needs.I think they have a good chance to get into the top four.” (ALSO READ: South Africa secure 5-0 sweep against Sri Lanka after floodlight failure)

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Malinga, who has represented Sri Lanka in three World Cups added that the South African bowlers will enjoy conditions in England

“In the World Cup there will be similar conditions and they have very good fast bowlers who are intelligent and have skill. “They know who to use that skill, and that’s the important thing. They have wicket-taking options and they have a good bowling unit,” he added.

Earlier, South African skipper Faf du Plessis has also pinned his team’s hopes on the bowlers. “I’ve been in teams that have had a very long batting line-up and it didn’t prove successful,” said Du Plessis. “You can learn from your mistakes and you can look at other teams where they have got it right. Pakistan had a very average batting line-up but it didn’t matter to them because they kept bowling teams out.”

After South Africa blanked Sri Lanka in the recently concluded five-match ODI series 0-5, both teams will meet in the three-match T20I series, starting on Tuesday, March 19 with the 1st T20I at Newlands, Cape Town.