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Match Report:

Scorecard

SL grab crucial points, SA drop out of World Cup spots

South Africa drop to ninth on the ODI Super League table as Sri Lanka grab rare series win to boost hopes for World Cup qualification

Rookie off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana ripped through South Africa's batting line-up as Sri Lanka won the third one-day international to clinch the three-match series and see the Proteas drop out of the automatic qualifying spots for the 2023 World Cup.

Chasing a modest victory target of 204, the Proteas lost four wickets in the first 10 overs and were eventually bowled out for just 125 in 30 overs.

The win sealed Sri Lanka's first one-day international series win in 19 months and earned them 10 vital points in the ODI Super League, moving them up to fifth on the ladder.

Sri Lanka, however, remain in danger of missing out on automatic qualification for the 2023 ODI World Cup in India having won just four of their 15 matches in the new Super League.

Image Id: 77B7D5FC3B26402D80B8D643004A33F5 Image Caption: Sri Lanka's spinners did the job in Colombo // Getty

The loss in Sri Lanka could also be a telling blow for the Proteas, who have now won just three of nine matches and sit ninth on the Super League table, outside the automatic qualifying spots.

Starting in July last year, the new ODI Super League will see the top 13 teams in the world play eight three-game bilateral series each over the course of three years, with the top seven teams plus hosts India to earn automatic qualification for the 2023 World Cup.

It means the bottom five teams, which will include some major Test-playing nations, will be forced into a secondary qualifier tournament in 2023 in order to guarantee their spot at the game's showpiece event.

And depending on the outcome of that qualifier tournament, it could also see one of those nations relegated into the second tier of one-day cricket and dropped completely from the next cycle of the Super League.

The uneven schedule and the fact series have been postponed due to the pandemic makes it difficult to establish which teams are currently in the most danger of missing out on a top eight spot by the time the Super League ends in March 2023.

Image Id: 9C55B5E02A8F45B4826226D0EFD08887 Image Caption: Sri Lanka celebrate a rare series win // Getty

However, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Ireland and Zimbabwe have the worst win percentages so far, while Pakistan and the West Indies have also lost more games than they've won.

South Africa still have series to come against Bangladesh, England and the Netherlands at home as well as Australia and India away, while Sri Lanka are scheduled to play matches against Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and New Zealand before the Super League draws to a close.

The early damage in Colombo was done by seamer Dushmantha Chameera, who accounted for Reeza Hendricks (1) and Rassie van der Dussen (5) before spinners Theekshana (4-37) and Wanindu Hasaranga (2-32) brought a swift end to the South African reply.

Earlier, Sri Lanka chose to bat and were reduced to 4-93 at one stage before being rescued by gritty knocks from Dhananjaya de Silva (31 off 44) and Charith Asalanka (47 off 71). Chameera's late flourish of 29 helped them get past 200.

Proteas' captain Keshav Maharaj picked up 3-38, while fellow left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi (2-31) was also among the wickets. 

The two sides now face off in a three-match Twenty20 series that starts in Colombo on Friday.