SA vs SL, 2nd ODI: Rabada's pace assault mauls Lanka, Proteas take 2-0 lead

With South Africa 2-0 up in the five-match series, the next two matches are in Durban and Port Elizabeth, where Sri Lanka won Test matches last month, on pitches which will give less assistance to South Africa's fast bowlers

South African pacers ran through the unsettled Sri Lanka batting order to defend a below-par total in the second ODI at SuperSport Park on Wednesday. Kagiso Rabada led a pace assault as he ended taking 3/43, clocking more than 150 km/h at times. He was backed up by fellow fast bowlers Lungi Ngidi (2/14) and Anrich Nortje (2/25), while veteran leg-spinner Imran Tahir returned with 2/39.

Man of the match Quinton de Kock hit a dazzling 94 off 70 balls, with 17 fours and a six, but the South African batting fell away after it looked as though they were set to make more than 300 on a ground which frequently yields high totals.

Thisara Perera dismissed De Kock and took three for 26 as the Sri Lankan bowlers fought back. The last six South African wickets fell for 31 runs. Rabada showed from the first over of the second innings that South Africa's policy was to try to blast through the Sri Lankan batting.

In striving for pace, he was erratic at times, sending down three wides, including one that went far down the leg side for an extra four runs. But Rabada hurried Niroshan Dickwella into a rash shot—his 100th one-day international wicket in his 68th match—and Ngidi bowled fellow opener, Avishka Fernando.

Nortje, in his second international match, bowled seven overs in an unbroken spell, pulled off a direct-hit run-out of Kusal Mendis and trapped Oshada Fernando leg before four balls later.

Rabada came back to take two more wickets in his second spell.

With South Africa in total control, David Miller took over the wicketkeeping gloves in the final overs in a clear indication that he will take the role of the second wicketkeeper at the World Cup, starting in May.

Sri Lanka captain Lasith Malinga made no attempt to hide his disappointment with his team's batting after what he said was “a really good effort by the bowlers”.

Malinga said it was not a case of analysing or discussing what had gone wrong.

With South Africa 2-0 up in the five-match series, the next two matches are in Durban and Port Elizabeth, where Sri Lanka won Test matches last month, on pitches which will give less assistance to South Africa's fast bowlers.