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Cricket Record Book

South Africa vs Sri Lanka Head to Head Stats

Covers 81 matches between South Africa and Sri Lanka from Mar 2003 to Dec 2024 (Tests, ODIs and T20Is with ball-by-ball records).

Four Tests and seven T20Is in a row: that is South Africa’s current winning run, and it sums up the South Africa vs Sri Lanka head to head. Between Mar 2003 and Dec 2024 the sides met 81 times; South Africa won 50, Sri Lanka 28, with 2 ties and 1 draw.

The most recent game was a Test at St George’s Park, Gqeberha on 5 Dec 2024, a 109-run South African win. Yet Sri Lanka hold one of the biggest batting records in this match-up, set in Colombo in Jul 2006. The sections below explain both sides of the story.

South Africa vs Sri Lanka Head to Head in Tests, ODIs and T20Is

Tests are where Sri Lanka have competed best, trailing 10 to 7 from 18, with just 1 draw. Sri Lanka strung together four straight wins between Jul 2018 and Feb 2019, among them a 1-wicket win at Kingsmead. Since then South Africa have taken the last 4, including a 233-run rout at Durban in Nov 2024 after skittling Sri Lanka for 42.

ODIs read 28 to 16, plus 1 tie, from 45 games. South Africa scored 428/5 against Sri Lanka in Delhi on 7 Oct 2023 and won by 102 runs. Their heaviest ODI defeat of Sri Lanka, though, was by 258 runs at Paarl in Jan 2012, when Sri Lanka managed only 43.

T20Is are the most lopsided: 12 to 5, with 1 tie that South Africa won in a super over. Broader numbers for each team are on the South Africa records page and the Sri Lanka team page.

South Africa vs Sri Lanka Head to Head Record in All Formats

FormatMatchesSouth Africa wonSri Lanka wonTiedDrawnNRFirst matchLatest match
Tests1810701027 Jul 20065 Dec 2024
ODIs4528161–03 Mar 20037 Oct 2023
T20Is181251–022 Sep 20123 Jun 2024
All formats8150282103 Mar 20035 Dec 2024

South Africa vs Sri Lanka in Tests

Tests in this record book: 18, from Jul 2006 to Dec 2024.

Most Runs in South Africa vs Sri Lanka Tests

BatterMInnsRunsHSAvgSR100s50s
F du Plessis South Africa111987419951.4155.6014
DPMD Jayawardene Sri Lanka71382037463.0855.8630
D Elgar South Africa112078212941.1654.8033
AD Mathews Sri Lanka12247798935.4150.1906
FDM Karunaratne Sri Lanka1122730158*34.7656.6824
HM Amla South Africa1425727139*30.2943.2022
Q de Kock South Africa111969710136.6875.9315
KC Sangakkara Sri Lanka71369228753.2358.1522
AB de Villiers South Africa712691160*62.8260.3015
T Bavuma South Africa111958711330.8955.1715

Most wickets in Tests

BowlerMInnsWktsBestAvgEcon5w
DW Steyn South Africa1121435/5427.813.433
K Rabada South Africa918416/5523.103.461
HMRKB Herath Sri Lanka1017406/9827.882.483
VD Philander South Africa918395/4517.562.823
KA Maharaj South Africa917369/12929.033.312
MDK Perera Sri Lanka48326/3218.062.432
MVT Fernando Sri Lanka611285/10124.683.541
RAS Lakmal Sri Lanka915245/6330.292.791
M Muralitharan Sri Lanka24227/9718.052.443
M Morkel South Africa510204/2926.253.300

Highest Scores in South Africa vs Sri Lanka Tests

BatterScoreBalls4s6sDate
DPMD Jayawardene Sri Lanka37457243127 Jul 2006
KC Sangakkara Sri Lanka28745735027 Jul 2006
JH Kallis South Africa2243253113 Jan 2012
F du Plessis South Africa19927624026 Dec 2020
DPMD Jayawardene Sri Lanka16528417124 Jul 2014

Best bowling in an innings

BowlerFiguresOversDate
KA Maharaj South Africa9/12941.120 Jul 2018
M Jansen South Africa7/136.527 Nov 2024
M de Lange South Africa7/8123.226 Dec 2011
M Muralitharan Sri Lanka7/9746.54 Aug 2006
MDK Perera Sri Lanka6/321412 Jul 2018

Highest team totals

TeamTotalOversAgainstVenueDate
Sri Lanka756/5185.1South AfricaSinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo27 Jul 2006
South Africa621142.1Sri LankaSuperSport Park, Centurion26 Dec 2020
South Africa580/4139Sri LankaNewlands, Cape Town3 Jan 2012
South Africa455/9166.2Sri LankaGalle International Stadium, Galle16 Jul 2014
South Africa434157.2Sri LankaSinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo27 Jul 2006

Lowest all-out totals

TeamTotalOversAgainstVenueDate
Sri Lanka4213.5South AfricaKingsmead, Durban27 Nov 2024
South Africa7328.5Sri LankaGalle International Stadium, Galle12 Jul 2018
Sri Lanka11043South AfricaNewlands, Cape Town2 Jan 2017
South Africa12434.5Sri LankaSinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo20 Jul 2018
South Africa12654.3Sri LankaGalle International Stadium, Galle12 Jul 2018

Biggest wins

ResultFormatVenueDate
Sri Lanka won by an innings and 153 runsTestSinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo27 Jul 2006
South Africa won by an innings and 118 runsTestThe Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg12 Jan 2017
South Africa won by an innings and 81 runsTestSuperSport Park, Centurion15 Dec 2011
South Africa won by 282 runsTestNewlands, Cape Town2 Jan 2017
Sri Lanka won by 278 runsTestGalle International Stadium, Galle12 Jul 2018
South Africa won by 233 runsTestKingsmead, Durban27 Nov 2024
South Africa won by 10 wicketsTestNewlands, Cape Town3 Jan 2012
South Africa won by 10 wicketsTestThe Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg3 Jan 2021
Sri Lanka won by 8 wicketsTestSt George’s Park, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)21 Feb 2019

Latest results

DateVenueResult
5 Dec 2024St George’s Park, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)South Africa won by 109 runs
27 Nov 2024Kingsmead, DurbanSouth Africa won by 233 runs
3 Jan 2021The Wanderers Stadium, JohannesburgSouth Africa won by 10 wickets
26 Dec 2020SuperSport Park, CenturionSouth Africa won by an innings and 45 runs
21 Feb 2019St George’s Park, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets
13 Feb 2019Kingsmead, DurbanSri Lanka won by 1 wicket
20 Jul 2018Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, ColomboSri Lanka won by 199 runs
12 Jul 2018Galle International Stadium, GalleSri Lanka won by 278 runs
12 Jan 2017The Wanderers Stadium, JohannesburgSouth Africa won by an innings and 118 runs
2 Jan 2017Newlands, Cape TownSouth Africa won by 282 runs

South Africa vs Sri Lanka in ODIs

ODIs in this record book: 45, from Mar 2003 to Oct 2023.

Most Runs in South Africa vs Sri Lanka ODIs

BatterMInnsRunsHSAvgSR100s50s
Q de Kock South Africa25251,21912850.79104.4647
F du Plessis South Africa26261,16618553.0092.7635
KC Sangakkara Sri Lanka24241,15016952.2789.0128
HM Amla South Africa21211,14315457.1591.0055
TM Dilshan Sri Lanka2222972115*48.6086.7925
AB de Villiers South Africa2222931125*51.72102.0827
JP Duminy South Africa27277099733.7694.7904
WU Tharanga Sri Lanka252562011924.8082.2313
GC Smith South Africa151560112540.0782.2214
DA Miller South Africa1818516117*51.60102.3812

Most Wickets in South Africa vs Sri Lanka ODIs

BowlerMInnsWktsBestAvgEcon5w
SL Malinga Sri Lanka2424375/5429.655.771
Imran Tahir South Africa1515334/2616.123.910
K Rabada South Africa1919294/4128.105.040
M Morkel South Africa1515224/1029.415.130
BAW Mendis Sri Lanka88214/5115.864.980
NLTC Perera Sri Lanka1818204/7527.706.140
L Ngidi South Africa1010194/5720.375.480
A Dananjaya Sri Lanka1111186/2930.285.791
JP Duminy South Africa3030183/2943.335.130
LL Tsotsobe South Africa88174/2219.354.910

Highest individual scores

BatterScoreBalls4s6sDate
F du Plessis South Africa1851411637 Feb 2017
KC Sangakkara Sri Lanka16913718620 Jul 2013
HM Amla South Africa15413415510 Feb 2017
Q de Kock South Africa12812712312 Jul 2014
AB de Villiers South Africa125*9810422 Jan 2012

Best bowling in an innings

BowlerFiguresOversDate
A Dananjaya Sri Lanka6/29912 Aug 2018
CK Langeveldt South Africa5/391028 Mar 2007
T Shamsi South Africa5/497.44 Sep 2021
SL Malinga Sri Lanka5/541011 Jan 2012
UDU Chandana Sri Lanka5/619.131 Aug 2004

Highest team totals

TeamTotalOversAgainstVenueDate
South Africa428/550Sri LankaArun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi7 Oct 2023
South Africa384/650Sri LankaSuperSport Park, Centurion10 Feb 2017
South Africa367/550Sri LankaNewlands, Cape Town7 Feb 2017
South Africa363/750Sri LankaPallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy5 Aug 2018
South Africa339/550Sri LankaMahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium, Hambantota12 Jul 2014

Lowest all-out totals

TeamTotalOversAgainstVenueDate
Sri Lanka4320.1South AfricaBoland Park, Paarl11 Jan 2012
South Africa12124.4Sri LankaR Premadasa Stadium, Colombo12 Aug 2018
South Africa12530Sri LankaR Premadasa Stadium, Colombo7 Sep 2021
Sri Lanka13337.2South AfricaSydney Cricket Ground, Sydney18 Mar 2015
Sri Lanka13832.2South AfricaSuperSport Park, Centurion6 Mar 2019

Biggest wins

ResultFormatVenueDate
South Africa won by 258 runsODIBoland Park, Paarl11 Jan 2012
Sri Lanka won by 180 runsODIR Premadasa Stadium, Colombo20 Jul 2013
Sri Lanka won by 178 runsODIR Premadasa Stadium, Colombo12 Aug 2018
South Africa won by 9 wicketsODISydney Cricket Ground, Sydney18 Mar 2015
South Africa won by 9 wicketsODIRiverside Ground, Chester-le-Street28 Jun 2019
Sri Lanka won by 8 wicketsODIPallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy28 Jul 2013

Latest results

DateVenueResult
7 Oct 2023Arun Jaitley Stadium, DelhiSouth Africa won by 102 runs
7 Sep 2021R Premadasa Stadium, ColomboSri Lanka won by 78 runs
4 Sep 2021R Premadasa Stadium, ColomboSouth Africa won by 67 runs (DLS)
2 Sep 2021R Premadasa Stadium, ColomboSri Lanka won by 14 runs
28 Jun 2019Riverside Ground, Chester-le-StreetSouth Africa won by 9 wickets
16 Mar 2019Newlands, Cape TownSouth Africa won by 41 runs (DLS)
13 Mar 2019St George’s Park, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)South Africa won by 6 wickets
10 Mar 2019Kingsmead, DurbanSouth Africa won by 71 runs (DLS)
6 Mar 2019SuperSport Park, CenturionSouth Africa won by 113 runs
3 Mar 2019The Wanderers Stadium, JohannesburgSouth Africa won by 8 wickets

South Africa vs Sri Lanka in T20Is

T20Is in this record book: 18, from Sep 2012 to Jun 2024.

Most runs in T20Is

BatterMInnsRunsHSAvgSR100s50s
RR Hendricks South Africa10103266636.22124.9003
Q de Kock South Africa121229259*29.20110.6102
JP Duminy South Africa9926251*52.40137.8902
DA Miller South Africa12122514127.89140.2200
LD Chandimal Sri Lanka111119766*24.62100.5101
N Dickwella Sri Lanka661916831.83154.0301
MDKJ Perera Sri Lanka881736121.62114.5701
F du Plessis South Africa661708528.33105.5901
AB de Villiers South Africa771686333.60144.8301
AD Mathews Sri Lanka8813854*19.71106.9801

Most wickets in T20Is

BowlerMInnsWktsBestAvgEcon5w
Imran Tahir South Africa99143/1813.075.380
T Shamsi South Africa77113/1713.275.620
KMDN Kulasekara Sri Lanka77102/1015.807.520
PADLR Sandakan Sri Lanka3384/238.125.420
A Nortje South Africa4484/78.885.070
PWH de Silva Sri Lanka5583/2015.256.310
DW Steyn South Africa5582/1017.388.180
SMSM Senanayake Sri Lanka4473/1410.574.620
AL Phehlukwayo South Africa5574/2418.008.400
WD Parnell South Africa6672/821.577.950

Highest individual scores

BatterScoreBalls4s6sDate
F du Plessis South Africa85651036 Aug 2013
I Udana Sri Lanka84*488622 Mar 2019
D Pretorius South Africa77*427324 Mar 2019
TM Dilshan Sri Lanka74*51926 Aug 2013
P Nissanka Sri Lanka72586330 Oct 2021

Best bowling in an innings

BowlerFiguresOversDate
A Nortje South Africa4/743 Jun 2024
L Ngidi South Africa4/19422 Jan 2017
PADLR Sandakan Sri Lanka4/23422 Jan 2017
AL Phehlukwayo South Africa4/24324 Mar 2019
I Udana Sri Lanka3/132.322 Jan 2017

Highest team totals

TeamTotalOversAgainstVenueDate
South Africa198/220Sri LankaThe Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg24 Mar 2019
South Africa180/320Sri LankaSuperSport Park, Centurion22 Mar 2019
Sri Lanka170/519.5South AfricaNewlands, Cape Town25 Jan 2017
South Africa169/520Sri LankaNewlands, Cape Town25 Jan 2017
Sri Lanka165/720South AfricaZahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram22 Mar 2014

Lowest all-out totals

TeamTotalOversAgainstVenueDate
Sri Lanka7719.1South AfricaNassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York3 Jun 2024
South Africa9816.4Sri LankaR Premadasa Stadium, Colombo14 Aug 2018
Sri Lanka10318.1South AfricaR Premadasa Stadium, Colombo12 Sep 2021
South Africa11319.3Sri LankaThe Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg22 Jan 2017
Sri Lanka12019.3South AfricaArun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi28 Mar 2016

Biggest wins

ResultFormatVenueDate
South Africa won by 32 runsT20IMahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium, Hambantota22 Sep 2012
South Africa won by 28 runsT20IR Premadasa Stadium, Colombo10 Sep 2021
South Africa won by 22 runsT20IMahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium, Hambantota4 Aug 2013
South Africa won by 10 wicketsT20IR Premadasa Stadium, Colombo14 Sep 2021
South Africa won by 9 wicketsT20IR Premadasa Stadium, Colombo12 Sep 2021
South Africa won by 8 wicketsT20IArun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi28 Mar 2016

South Africa vs Sri Lanka T20I Matches: Latest Results

DateVenueResult
3 Jun 2024Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New YorkSouth Africa won by 6 wickets
30 Oct 2021Sharjah Cricket Stadium, SharjahSouth Africa won by 4 wickets
14 Sep 2021R Premadasa Stadium, ColomboSouth Africa won by 10 wickets
12 Sep 2021R Premadasa Stadium, ColomboSouth Africa won by 9 wickets
10 Sep 2021R Premadasa Stadium, ColomboSouth Africa won by 28 runs
24 Mar 2019The Wanderers Stadium, JohannesburgSouth Africa won by 45 runs (DLS)
22 Mar 2019SuperSport Park, CenturionSouth Africa won by 16 runs
19 Mar 2019Newlands, Cape TownTied (South Africa won the super over)
14 Aug 2018R Premadasa Stadium, ColomboSri Lanka won by 3 wickets
25 Jan 2017Newlands, Cape TownSri Lanka won by 5 wickets

Most player of the match awards in South Africa vs Sri Lanka matches

PlayerAwards
TM Dilshan Sri Lanka5
F du Plessis South Africa5
KC Sangakkara Sri Lanka4
Q de Kock South Africa4
DPMD Jayawardene Sri Lanka3
JP Duminy South Africa3
DA Miller South Africa3
Imran Tahir South Africa3

Grounds where South Africa vs Sri Lanka have met most

GroundMatchesSouth Africa wonSri Lanka wonOther
R Premadasa Stadium13670
SuperSport Park7610
The Wanderers Stadium7520
Kingsmead6321
Newlands6411
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium5230
St George’s Park5410
Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium4310

Top Run Scorers and Wicket Takers

Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) scored 374 off 572 balls at the SSC in Colombo on 27 Jul 2006, and Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) added 287 alongside him. Sri Lanka reached 756/5, comfortably the biggest total in this rivalry.

Faf du Plessis (South Africa) owns the most Test runs here, 874, as well as the top ODI score, 185 at Newlands in Feb 2017. Quinton de Kock (South Africa) is the leading ODI scorer, 1,219 runs. Hashim Amla (South Africa) has 5 ODI hundreds, the most in this fixture.

Dale Steyn (South Africa) took 43 Test wickets, and Keshav Maharaj (South Africa) returned 9/129 in Colombo in Jul 2018. Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka) heads the ODI bowling with 37 wickets, and Imran Tahir (South Africa) the T20I bowling with 14 at 13.07.

Grounds, Toss and Batting First

Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium has staged 13 of these games, more than anywhere else, and Sri Lanka edge it 7 wins to 6. South Africa have dominated at SuperSport Park, winning 6 of 7.

ODIs have favoured the side batting first, 27 wins to 17, while 269 is the usual first innings. The toss has meant almost nothing: exactly 22 of 44 decided ODIs went to its winner, and only 6 of 17 T20Is. For more on these teams, see India vs Sri Lanka or Pakistan vs South Africa.

Questions about South Africa vs Sri Lanka

Has South Africa or Sri Lanka won more often?

South Africa, comfortably: 50 wins from 81 meetings since Mar 2003. Sri Lanka have 28, and the remaining three were 2 ties and a drawn Test.

What is the biggest Test score in this match-up?

Mahela Jayawardene’s 374 for Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo in Jul 2006. His teammate Kumar Sangakkara made 287 in that same innings.

Who tops the ODI run charts for South Africa vs Sri Lanka?

Quinton de Kock of South Africa, with 1,219 from 25 innings at 50.79. Faf du Plessis follows on 1,166 and Kumar Sangakkara, the best Sri Lankan, on 1,150.

What is the lowest total between the two sides?

Sri Lanka’s 42, bowled out inside 13.5 overs at Kingsmead, Durban in Nov 2024, when Marco Jansen of South Africa took 7/13. In ODIs, Sri Lanka’s 43 at Paarl in Jan 2012 is the low point.

Which team won the last South Africa vs Sri Lanka match?

South Africa, by 109 runs in the Gqeberha Test of Dec 2024. That made four Test wins running for them against Sri Lanka.

Source: ball-by-ball match data from Cricsheet.org (ODC-BY). See how we compile these records.