Highlights - SA vs SL - SA score full points on testing NY track

That's a wrap from the first T20 World Cup game played at the newly created stadium at Eisenhower Park. South Africa have beaten Sri Lanka by six wickets in a low-scoring match, which has maybe told us more about conditions than either of the two sides. The surface is tricky to bat on, there’s inconsistent bounce, not much turn and the venue has big square boundaries which are difficult to breach.

Sri Lanka chose to bat first and were on the back foot almost immediately. Their Powerplay yielded just 24 runs, and they had their lowest ten-over score: 40 for 5. South Africa’s four-seam attack adapted to conditions quickly, went fuller upfront , varied pace well and were disciplined. Their headliner was Anrich Nortje, who put in his best performance since returning from a stress fracture that sidelined him from the international game for almost nine months, and career-best. Nortje’s 4 for 7 was embroidered with high-class pace as he touched 150kph and excellent use of the slower ball. He was complemented by World Cup debutant Ottneil Baartman, who bowled 20 dot balls in total, the joint-most by a bowler in an innings at the T20 World Cup, equalling Ajantha Mendis against Zimbabwe in 2012.

As a result of the South Africans combined efforts, only three Sri Lankan batters got into double figures, and only one partnership - their seventh-wicket stand between Dasun Shanaka and Angelo Mathews - was worth more than 20. They’ll rue not getting another 20 or 30 runs because that could have made things really tricky for South Africa. At 58 for in the 13th over, 100 would have been a tough ask but 78 was within reach. Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller took them home with 22 balls to spare.

After Kamindu Mendis' low catch at slip to dismiss Aiden Markram, Charith Asalanka pulled off a second stunner to see the end of Tristan Stubbs. Asalanka was at short cover when Stubbs smashed a Hasaranga delivery there and Asalanka reacted well to grab it two-handed. Now, there could be an important lesson for South Africa in this. They will play both Bangladesh and Netherlands at this venue, both of them have attacks that operate with a lot of pace off and that could mean that South Africa's much vaunted middle-order will have to find other ways of scoring runs.

Quinton de Kock has only crossed 20 once in his last eight T20 innings and we know he had a tough time at the leagues recently. But we cannot underestimate his importance to South Africa for this campaign. De Kock scored four centuries at the ODI World Cup and led the surge to the semi-finals seven months ago. This could well be his last international assignment, and every indication he does not want to leave the South African side without a World Cup. This time he just made 20 but he hung around until South Africa were relatively safe, hit one of only two sixes and can be expected to play a crucial role as the tournament goes on.

We've also received news of the crowd figure for this match - 12,562. It's a 34,000 seater venue so it's just over a third full.

Sri Lanka were 24 for 1 after their Powerplay. Incidentally, 24 is also South Africa's lowest Powerplay score, against Australia in October 2022. They just topped that here, with 27 run for the loss of two wickets. In total, South Africa and Sri Lanka scored 51 runs in their respective Powerplays, the third lowest Powerplay aggregate at T20 World Cups.

South Africa used a slip for most of the Sri Lankan innings and Sri Lanka are following suit. Kamindu Mendis was at a wide first slip - almost at second - got down low to take a catch off the edge when Aiden Markram was squared up by Dasun Shanaka. Sri Lanka's response was to put a second slip in for Tristan Stubbs' arrival.

Angelo Mathews is holding Sri Lanka's line with an excellent length, and some seam movement. He's second over was close to flawless, with the single at the end the only damage done.

Sri Lanka have made their first incision courtesy of Nuwan Thushara. With a slip in place, he got some extra bounce and Reeza Hendricks failed to move his feet while wafting at a widish delivery. There's 10 runs on the board and a strong middle-order to come but Sri Lanka have got themselves in. Stay tuned.

This is a big moment because Reeza Hendricks sat out the 2022 T20 World Cup, despite that being the year that he reeled off four successive half-centuries in the format. Temba Bavuma was captain of the side at the time and though he was out of form, he kept his place, leaving no room for Hendricks. Now, his time has come.

With Sanjay Manjrekar and Farveez Maharoof.

So there you have it: Sri Lanka have been bowled out for their lowest T20I total by a South African attack that was disciplined in line and length and varied their pace well. Anrich Nortje's 4 for 7 will make the headlines but Ottneil Baartman's wicket with his first ball and economy rate of 2.25 and Keshav Maharaj's two wickets in two balls cannot be underestimated. This is not quite the level of competitiveness we would have wanted to see from what was, on paper, one of the more competitive games in Group D. It's the first time we're seeing the New York surface which is slightly inconsistent in bounce and there's some swing on offer. Most importantly, on a big outfield, its difficult to score boundaries. Sri Lanka managed just three fours and three sixes in 19.1 overs.

No sixes for almost 13 overs and then Angelo Mathews and Dasun Shanaka find three in nine balls.

At 46 for 6, you might be wondering...

Sri Lanka limped to 40 for 5 in 10 overs, with Anrich Nortje claiming the fifth on the stroke of the innings halfway mark. It is their lowest ten-over total in men's T20s. Nortje hit speeds of 150kph at the end of the second over, and Sri Lanka's search for boundaries ended in vain as Kusal Mendis failed to make good connection trying to clear square leg.

Two wickets in two balls in a successful second over for Keshav Maharaj.

Both Wanindu Hasaranga and Sadeera Samarawickrama were dismissed for ducks.

Anrich Nortje's return from a stress fracture has not gone according to plan thus far and his selection in this match ahead of Gerald Coetzee would have raised some eyebrows but he seems to be on course for a comeback. Nortje took Sri Lanka's second wicket as Kamindu Mendis tried to target the large, square boundary in search of the first six but could not clear Reeza Hendricks at square leg. Sri Lanka's frustration continued when, in the next over, Wanindu Hasaranga advanced down the track to try and hit Keshav Maharaj down the ground but was stumped.

From what we've seen so far: Full.

This is Marco Jansen's first two overs. He's the tallest bowler in the South African line-up and you can see that the majority of his deliveries have been full and there's even one in that yorker length region.

The others have been in the same Test match area - especially Baartman - and Sri Lanka's Powerplay has brought just 24 runs. This is Sri Lanka's joint-lowest Powerplay total at the men's T20 World Cup, alongside the 24/4 they made vs New Zealand in 2022.

Ottneil Baartman - the SA20's leading wicket-taker until the final - had never been out of South Africa before the three-match series against West Indies last month. He was selected ahead of Gerald Coetzee for this match and immediately showed his worth when he offered some width to Pathum Nissanka, who hit him in the air to third. He became the first South African to take a World Cup wicket with his first tournament delivery.

You may remember Marco Jansen's last two World Cup matches - at the ODI World Cup in India. Both games were at Eden Gardens but it was more of a hell for Jansen. He conceded 1 for 94 against India and then 0 for 35 in 4.2 overs in the semi-final against Australia. He's back, though, with a tight opening over.

A reminder you can watch our pre-match show with special guests Sanjay Manjrekar, Farveez Maharoof and Morne Morkel here:

Let's take a look at the XIs and the first thing that caught my eye is the number of quicks.

Sri Lanka have Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, Dasun Shanaka and Angelo Mathews, so lots of variation and a couple of baby Malinga's as our Andrew Fidel Fernando writes. He also tells me it is probably the first-time ever they have two round-arm slingers in the XI.

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara

South Africa, despite three specialist spinners in the squad, have shown their strongest hand to start. They've gone with four out of a possible five quicks. Kagiso Rabada has recovered from a soft tissue infection to take his place as leader of the attack. He's joined by Anrich Nortje, who is still searching for form, Ottneil Baartman, the SA20's second-highest wicket-taker and Marco Jansen. No Gerald Coetzee, and just the one spinner in Keshav Maharaj, with Aiden Markram to bowl some offspin if needed.

South Africa: Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (capt), Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ottneil Baartman

Wanindu Hasaranga won the toss and decided Sri Lanka would set South Africa a total in the first World Cup match being played in New York. Aiden Markram was happy with that decision, and in fact wanted to bowl first anyway.

ICYMI: the ICC announced the prize money for this year's tournament and it's a decent $11.25 million that will be shared among the 20 teams.

In the blue corner, it's former champions Sri Lanka, who lifted the trophy in 2014. That's a whole decade ago, so if you need a reminder of what happened at the tournament - here it is.

And in the green corner, it's a side that would be happy to make it anywhere really, perennial hopefuls: South Africa. They have only ever reached the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup once before - in 2009 - but came close to the last four in 2021 (when they missed out on net run-rate) and 2022 (when they lost to Netherlands, which we can talk about a little later in the week.