After a narrow defeat in the first game, South Africa had their work cut out to square the ODI series against Sri Lanka. It was another spin-friendly Colombo deck, with an intermittent rain threat. Fortunately, the rain relented early on, setting up a 47-over contest.

The South Africans made three changes to the playing XI. Reeza Hendricks, Wiaan Mulder, and George Linde all got a game today, with Linde playing his first ODI for the Proteas.

Initially, the hosts kept the Proteas in check, when Markram edged one to the keeper off medium-pacer Chamika Karunaratne. But from then onwards, South Africa did well to consolidate and build a strong stand. Janneman Malan continued his dominant form in this format, while Hendricks made good use of the opportunity presented.

After all, Sri Lanka was the place where Hendricks scored his debut ODI ton, and today he scored rather briskly. Sri Lanka got another key inroad when Hendricks, attempting an expansive drive over the covers, yorked himself off Dhananjaya de Silva.

When Wanindu Hasaranga dismissed Rassie van der Dussen, the game appeared to be firmly in the balance. However, this was when the situation gradually began to shift in favour of the South Africans. Heinrich Klaasen came in at No 5 and regularly peppered the boundary with his sweeps on either side.

Malan was subdued well by the Lankan spinners, but he continued to battle it out as he approached his third ODI ton in only his ninth game. After calmly accumulating and batting through nearly 90% of the overs, he finally opened up against Hasaranga, striking two fours and a six in the 44th over.

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Dushmantha Chameera took two in two to dismiss both set batsmen, but SA managed to scrap another 20 runs in the last two overs to reach a respectable total. Given that the ball gripped and turned on numerous occasions on this surface, chasing a score upwards of 280 was naturally going to be quite daunting.

After a positive batting display, it was time for the bowlers to back it up. Things began in style for the visitors, as Kagiso Rabada and his new new-ball partner, Wiaan Mulder, both made three quick forays into the Sri Lankan batting order. The dangerous Avishka Fernando was dismissed cheaply, and the seam duo continued to keep it tight for much of the first Powerplay. Charith Asalanka looked confident right from the get-go but a sharp catch from Klaasen to dismiss Dhananjaya de Silva put SL on the back foot again at 61/4.

After a solid unbeaten 50-run partnership between Asalanka and captain Shanaka, the rain returned once again. This time, it continued for long enough to reduce the chase to 41 overs, with a DLS-adjusted target of 265.

Soon after the interruption, Tabraiz Shamsi got to work and invited a poorly executed big shot from Shanaka, ending 64-run stand. Asalanka continued to attack, but holed out to Kyle Verreynne in the quest of pulling down the required rate. Chamika Karunaratne briefly threatened with a cameo of 36 from 22, but in the end it was too steep a mountain to climb. Shamsi completed an excellent 5-wicket haul, which is his first in ODIs.

South Africa have successfully bounced back, setting up a decider on Tuesday.

Photo: Sri Lanka Cricket