Sri Lanka v South Africa

At Dambulla, August 25, 2004 (day/night). Sri Lanka won by four wickets. Toss: South Africa.

A disastrous batting collapse and fielding lapses by South Africa together with a nerveless innings from Atapattu combined to ensure Sri Lanka won the series with two matches in hand. Smith's side were 142 for three with ten overs left, but lost their way completely on a pitch offering sharp turn. Their eventual total might still have been enough. Pollock reached 300 oneday wickets when he dismissed Jayasuriya - the first South African and the seventh player in all to achieve the feat, and only the second after Wasim Akram to combine it with 2,000 runs - and wickets continued to fall steadily. However, both Chandana and Vaas were dropped, and Atapattu eased his side home.

Man of the Match: M. S. Atapattu.