Unchanged Sri Lanka bat in a bid to clip high-flying South Africa's wings

Toss Sri Lanka chose to bat vs South Africa

Under mostly sunny and most importantly dry conditions, Chamari Athapaththu asked South Africa to chase in their first match of the tournament in Colombo. Eighteen-year-old wicket-keeper batter Karabo Meso was named in South Africa's XI to play in her first World Cup match as Laura Wolvaardt's side rang in the changes.

They left out Sinalo Jafta for Meso and brought in Sune Luus, who sat out the Bangladesh game with a hip flexor strain, and offspinner Nondumiso Shangase for Anneke Bosch and Tumi Sekhukhune. The latter two changes were tactical, with South Africa eyeing a match-up against Sri Lanka's left-handers. That meant Annerie Dercksen, who made her first tournament appearance in the last match, kept her spot in the XI while there was still no room for Ayabonga Khaka.

South Africa have won their last two matches chasing, and with dew expected later and a pitch that has spent plenty of time under covers over the last two days, Wolvaardt was happy to field first. But Athapaththu, heartened by the way her side batted against New Zealand, where they posted 258 for 6 in a washout, wanted her team to show off their strong suit first.

Sri Lanka, who are unchanged, have yet to win a match at the tournament but have two points from two no-results. South Africa are in third place and a win here would guarantee their spot in the semi-final.

Sri Lanka: 1 Chamari Athapaththu (capt), 2 Vishmi Gunaratne, 3 Hasini Perera, 4 Harshitha Samarawickrama, 5 Kavisha Dilhari, 6 Nilakshika Silva, 7 Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), 8 Piumi Wathsala, 9 Sugandika Kumari, 10 Malki Madara, 11 Inoka Ranaweera

South Africa: 1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Tazmin Brits, 3 Anneke Bosch, 4 Annerie Dercksen, 5 Marizanne Kapp, 6 Karabo Meso (wk), 7 Chloe Tryon, 8 Nadine de Klerk, 9 Nondumiso Shangase, 19, Masabata Klass, 11 Nonkululeko Mlaba