ODI series an opportunity to learn – Du Plessis

Standard Bank Proteas captain, Faf du Plessis, says the five-match One-Day International (ODI) series against Sri Lanka starting in Dambulla on Sunday will be an ‘opportunity to learn’ for his relatively inexperienced squad ahead of the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup in less than a year. The squad features two debutants in Reeza Hendricks and Junior Dala, and several other players who will be aiming to establish themselves in an important World Cup season. JP Duminy is the only player in the squad to have played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium – the Proteas lost both matches played in 2004 - while Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, David Miller and Quinton de Kock have some experience of playing on the island. The Proteas’ World Cup squad is far from finalised, which means finding the balance between giving opportunities and winning matches against the No.8 ranked home team.