T20 World Cup Tips Matches 3 and 4: Lankans could catch SA cold

• Oman value batting first

• Zeeshan underrated

• Sri Lanka can cause shock

• Hendricks big at 4

Namibia v Canada
Monday 3 June, 01:30
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Namibia v Oman T20 World Cup team news

Namibia are without their best player Nicol Loftie-Eaton, who has been left at home for disciplinary reasons. David Wiese is crucial in adding experience and ability against the best.

Possible XI: Van Lingen, Davin, Erasmus, Frylink, Smit, Wiese, Kotze, Green, Trumpelmann, Scholz, Shikongo

Oman are a bit of a one-man team with Aqib Ilyas, the skip, dominating with bat and ball. Zeeshan Maqsood is a handy all-rounder, too.

Possible XI: Prajapati, Khushi, Aqib, Maqsood, Kail, A Khan, Athavale, Rafiullah, M Khan, Bilal, F Butt

Namibia v Oman T20 pitch report

On two-year form the side batting first has won 75% of the matches at Bridgetown. That is a huge bias. That may be down to an improvement in the batting surface with runs ticking up. Nambia will be considered the more reliable batting line-up and a 20-over par line in the late 170s could well be a buy. They busted 200 on the previous head-to-head.

Namibia v Oman T20 World Cup match prediction

On two-year form Oman score at quicker rate than Namibia and there is about a half-run advantage of economy for Namibia who have been mean conceding at an average of 6.63 an over.

The sides have met five times in 2024 already with Namibia winning three of them. We're not sure that justifies short prices on Namibia at 1.574/7.

Indeed, they could be well-matched and that toss bias should provide the angle for a bet. Oman at 2.6813/8 if they bat first.

Namibia v Oman T20 World Cup player bets

There's a great opportunity to bet a guy who wins at better than a 4/15.00 chance at 12/113.00. Jan Frylinck has been underrated by Sportsbook. Frylink wins 22.7% of the time in the last two years on top Nam bat. With the ball, Gerhard Erasmus cops at a rate of 36.8% so we take Sportsbook's 9/25.50.

Although we are keen on Ilyas for a performance, the 5/16.00 on Maqsood for top bat stands out. It provides the greater edge on win rate considering he wins at 29%. We will bet Ilyas for top bowler (winning 30% of the time) at 11/26.50, however. Big edges all-round for this game.

Sri Lanka v South Africa
Sunday 2 June, 15:30
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Sri Lanka v South Africa T20 World Cup team news

Sri Lanka lost to Netherlands but beat Ireland in their warm-ups. It's not a great portent for their campaign. Dilshan Madushanka and Nuwan Thushara didn't bowl in that Irish game. Dushmantha Chameera is line to play possibly.

Possible XI: Kusal, Nissanka, Kamindu, Asalanka, Hasaranga, Dhananjaya, Mathews, Shanaka, Thushara, Theekshana, Chameera, Pathirana

South Africa have worries over Quinton de Kock's form with Ryan Rickleton the coming force. Sunrisers trio Heinrich Klaasen, Aiden Markram and Marco Jansen are available after a warm-up series defeat by West Indies.

Possible XI: De Kock, Hendricks, Markram, Klaasen, Miller, Stubbs, Jansen/Shamsi/Fortuin, Maharaj, Coetzee, Rabada, Nortje

Sri Lanka v South Africa T20 World Cup pitch report

The venue in New York is custom built for this tournament. It's surprising they've managed only one warm-up. India posted 182 against a hopeless Bangladesh. That may suggest the pitch isn't exactly a road. Sri Lanka would hope for something sluggish. We can't advise runs plays given we know so little about the wicket but would expect it to tire as the tournament progresses. An in-play option is adding 55-60 runs for SA in the last four as they're set up for late assaults.

Sri Lanka v South Africa T20 World Cup match prediction

We will have a small interest in a success for Sri Lanka. Of course we recognise that South Africa have by far the most powerful batting but, by contrast, Sri Lanka are much more efficient with the ball.

On a road that latter ability will help Sri Lanka. While anything sluggish or tacky in terms of surface could bring their spinners into the game and stop the Saffers hitting through the line with abandon. Sri Lanka a bet at 3.02/1, particularly if they bat first because South Africa have five wins in their last 18 in the chase.

Sri Lanka v South Africa T20 World Cup player bets

In the absence of form from De Kock, Reeza Hendricks has taken his chance. He has been wining at a rate of 37.5% so at 4/15.00 he is giving us an edge of 17.5%. He also averages 40 against Lanka, making them his second-most successful team to play against on that metric.

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