Daijiworld Media Network

Sri Lanka have won the toss and have opted to bat

De Villiers: 'We also got to start nice and fresh. We are representing a lot of people back home. Every time I walk out in these colours, my heart beats fast and I want to perform for my country. We are prepared to face whatever that comes our way. If we play to our potential, no one is going to stop us in this tournament. Faf (du Plessis) is fit, Vernon (Philander) makes way for (Kyle) Abbott. The calmness is great. It's just a matter of playing well today, hopefully we'll come out on top.'

Mathews: 'We've got to start afresh. It's a new game, a new opposition and we have to play good cricket to win against them. This is a beautiful stadium. Hope people will turn up to support us. We will have a bat first. The wicket is nice and hard, it's pretty hot. Well, it's obviously big quarterfinal so we look to bat first, put runs on the board and obviously the pressure will take it to them. Rangana (Herath) is not fit so we have drafted in Tharindu Kaushal. He's a mystery spinner, so he's going to make his debut. He's kind of a duplicate Muralitharan (smiles). So I am really excited to see him bowl today. Everyone is fit.'

Live visuals show that Tharindu Kaushal is being congratulated by his team-mates in the team huddle. He is all smiles and looks like he will make his ODI debut. What a day for the youngster. He has come in to the tournament as a replacement for Herath who has been ruled out of the World Cup. Sri Lanka wanted Herath to be fit, but unfortunately his finger hasn't healed in time. We will confirm Kaushal's inclusion in just a bit as the toss and the teams aren't far away.

Teams:

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Kushal Janith Perera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara(w), Mahela Jayawardene, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews(c), Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, T Kaushal, Lasith Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera

South Africa (Playing XI): Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock(w), Faf du Plessis, Rilee Rossouw, AB de Villiers(c), David Miller, Jean-Paul Duminy, Dale Steyn, Kyle Abbott, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir

Shane Warne reckons that's the best pitch he has seen in this tournament. It is going to fly through and it is going to swing for the quickies. As the games goes on, Warne thinks it will spin.

Pitch report by Shaun Pollock and Mike Hussey: It's a new pitch they are using today. Rock-hard, few little cracks but that won't come into the picture. Beautiful batting strip. Nice even covering of grass. Expect a little bit of pace and bounce for the seamers. Not much spin as well. Win the toss and bat first on this.

'There's enough laughing, there's enough stress, there's enough nerves, there's good cricket, there's enough bad cricket. We've got a mixture of everything on the team. We've just got to find a way to win tomorrow' - AB de Villiers on his side's only goal for the quarter-final.

Quotes: Angelo Mathews, talking up his side's support from the local Sri Lankans in Australia: 'If you play at MCG or SCG it's like playing at home.'

Weather conditions: Rain is predicted but that shouldn't affect anything and we should get in a full game. A high of 31C is expected.

Angelo Mathews though is fit. Mathews had gone off the field against Scotland in Hobart due to an Achilles niggle, but is now fully fit. Sri Lanka will play only one spinner with Dilshan's offspin available. It will be a battle between Suranga Lakmal and Dushmantha Chameera for the final bowling spot.

Sri Lanka: Rangana Herath has been ruled out of the quarter-final which is a big blow to the Islanders. Chief national selector Sanath Jayasuriya said Herath was finding it painful to bowl as the injury had not healed. 'He had the stitches removed two days ago. But it might take more time for it to be fully healed. His chances of recovery in time for the crucial quarter-final are still less than 50 percent,' he said.

Moving on, pre-match team news, South Africa first: du Plessis has recovered from a lower back injury that forced him to miss the game against UAE. So that leaves only one batting spot for either Farhaan Behardien or Rilee Rossouw. The bowling attack picks itself.

The governing body trialled it during a five-ODI series between hosts Australia and South Africa late last year and received positive feedback on it. So expect plenty of spice and added viewer interest when a referral process is in motion.

Here is something interesting from the ICC. The communication between on-field umpires and the third umpire in case of a TV referral will be available on air during the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, an ICC press release said.

'And of course you would expect Sri Lanka's bowlers to have studied videos of his recent batting and have plans of how to contain him and to dismiss him. But putting him on a pedestal beyond that level of basic planning would do them no good at all.'

'I know first-hand how tough he is to bowl at and in recent years, when we were together in the Indian T20 League, I marvelled at the range of shots he possessed. He is quick on his feet, inventive and his no fear approach puts bowlers under pressure from the word go.'

'Yes, he is the Proteas' key man, as he has shown both through this tournament and over a number of years, and he will have great recent memories of the SCG given his demolition of West Indies attack there last month with his unbeaten 162 from just 66 balls.'

'As for de Villiers, I just hope the Sri Lanka squad does not put itself under undue pressure by focusing too much on the importance of his wicket.'