Sri Lanka Women vs South Africa Women Cricket Timeline: Complete Rivalry History
On February 10, 2023, South Africa walked out at Newlands in Cape Town as the heavily favoured hosts for the opening match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Ninety minutes later, they had lost by three runs to Sri Lanka-a result that permanently altered how this rivalry is understood. The sri lanka women vs south africa women’s national cricket team timeline goes back to 2012, spans four ICC tournaments, six bilateral series, and shows a measurable shift in competitive balance from 2023 onwards. This is the complete record of every series, every ICC meeting, and every key result between these two sides.
Sri Lanka Women vs South Africa Women
The fastest way to understand the Sri Lanka women vs South Africa women’s national cricket team timeline is through the numbers. South Africa hold a clear overall advantage, but Sri Lanka have demonstrated the ability to win in South Africa, on neutral grounds, and in ICC tournament knockouts.
| Metric | Record |
| Total Matches | 20 |
| South Africa Wins | 11 |
| Sri Lanka Wins | 8 |
| No Result | 1 |
| First Match | September 2012, Galle |
| Latest Match | October 2025, Colombo |
| Biggest Victory | South Africa-10 wickets (DLS), Oct 2025 |
| Highest ODI Total | Sri Lanka-305/4, Potchefstroom, 2024 |
| Highest T20I Total | Sri Lanka-156/6 (bilateral) |
| Best T20I Bowling | Inoka Ranaweera-3/18, Cape Town, 2023 |
Timeline at a Glance
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- 2012-First meeting at ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, Galle, South Africa win by 4 wickets
- 2014-First bilateral T20I series, Sri Lanka win 2-1 at home in Colombo
- 2016-Sri Lanka beat South Africa at ICC Women’s T20 WC in Bengaluru by 10 runs
- 2023-Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup upset win by 3 runs in Cape Town on SA home soil
- 2024-First-ever Sri Lanka T20I series win in South Africa (2-1), ODI series drawn
- 2025-South Africa win ICC Women’s World Cup meeting by 10 wickets in Colombo
Complete Rivalry Chronology
The complete Sri Lanka women vs South Africa women’s national cricket team timeline includes every bilateral series and ICC tournament encounter from 2012 to 2025. This table provides the fastest reference for the full rivalry history across both formats.
| Year | Tournament / Series | Venue | Winner | Format |
| Sep 2012 | ICC Women’s T20 World Cup | Galle, Sri Lanka | South Africa | T20I |
| 2013 | SL Women tour of South Africa | South Africa | South Africa (2-0) | T20I Series |
| Oct 2014 | SA Women in Sri Lanka | Colombo | Sri Lanka (2-1) | T20I Series |
| Oct 2014 | SA Women in Sri Lanka | Colombo | South Africa (1-0, 1 NR) | ODI Series |
| Mar 2016 | ICC Women’s T20 World Cup | Bengaluru, India | Sri Lanka | T20I |
| Nov 2018 | ICC Women’s T20 World Cup | Gros Islet, West Indies | South Africa | T20I |
| 2019 | SA Women in Sri Lanka | Colombo | South Africa (2-1) | T20I Series |
| Feb 2023 | ICC Women’s T20 World Cup | Cape Town, South Africa | Sri Lanka | T20I |
| Mar–Apr 2024 | SL Women tour of South Africa | South Africa | Sri Lanka (2-1) | T20I Series |
| Apr 2024 | SL Women tour of South Africa | South Africa | Drawn (1-1, 1 NR) | ODI Series |
| May 2025 | Sri Lanka Women’s ODI Tri-Series | Colombo, Sri Lanka | Split 1-1 | ODI |
| Oct 2025 | ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup | Colombo, Sri Lanka | South Africa | ODI |
Head-to-Head Records by Format
Understanding the Sri Lanka women vs South Africa women’s national cricket team timeline requires a format-wise breakdown. South Africa lead in both T20Is and ODIs, but Sri Lanka’s T20I record has significantly improved since 2023.
Overall Format Breakdown
| Format | Total Matches | SL Women Wins | SA Women Wins | No Result |
| T20Is | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| ODIs | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| Total | 20 | 8 | 11 | 1 |
All Bilateral Series Results
| Series | Year | Winner |
| SA Women tour of SL (T20I) | 2013 | South Africa (2-0) |
| SA Women in SL (T20I) | 2014 | Sri Lanka (2-1) |
| SA Women in SL (ODI) | 2014 | South Africa (1-0, 1 NR) |
| SA Women in SL (T20I) | 2019 | South Africa (2-1) |
| SL Women tour of SA (T20I) | 2024 | Sri Lanka (2-1) |
| SL Women tour of SA (ODI) | 2024 | Drawn (1-1, 1 NR) |
ICC Tournament Meetings
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South Africa lead ICC tournament meetings 3-2. Their three wins have come in 2012, 2018, and 2025. Sri Lanka’s two wins have come in 2016 and the landmark 2023 Cape Town fixture.
| Tournament | Year | Venue | Winner | Margin |
| ICC Women’s T20 WC | 2012 | Galle | South Africa | 4 wickets |
| ICC Women’s T20 WC | 2016 | Bengaluru | Sri Lanka | 10 runs |
| ICC Women’s T20 WC | 2018 | Gros Islet | South Africa | 3 runs |
| ICC Women’s T20 WC | 2023 | Cape Town | Sri Lanka | 3 runs |
| ICC Women’s Cricket WC | 2025 | Colombo | South Africa | 10 wkts (DLS) |
Phase 1-First Meetings and Bilateral Beginnings (2012–2016)
The Sri Lanka women vs South Africa women’s national cricket team timeline begins at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2012–13 in Sri Lanka. South Africa won that first match at Galle International Stadium, chasing Sri Lanka’s 79 with four wickets to spare. The contest was brief, the margin comfortable, and South Africa were firmly the more established side.
2013: First Bilateral Series
In 2013, Sri Lanka toured South Africa for the first bilateral T20I series between the two nations. South Africa won both matches-a 2-0 clean sweep-establishing home dominance early in the rivalry’s history.
2014: Sri Lanka Win First Series
When South Africa toured Sri Lanka in October 2014, the result was different. Sri Lanka won the three-match T20I series 2-1, taking the deciding game in Colombo. It was Sri Lanka’s first-ever series win over South Africa in international cricket. South Africa won the accompanying ODI series 1-0, with one match abandoned due to rain.
2016: First ICC Tournament Win
At the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2016 in India, Sri Lanka defeated South Africa by 10 runs at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru-their first ICC T20 World Cup win over South Africa. Sri Lanka posted a competitive total and defended it with disciplined bowling. By the end of 2016, Sri Lanka had demonstrated they could win both at home and in neutral ICC tournament conditions.
Phase 2-South Africa Consolidate Their Lead (2018–2022)
During this period, South Africa reasserted dominance over Sri Lanka in both bilateral series and ICC tournaments. The margins were tight, but South Africa won the key contests.
2018: Three-Run World Cup Win
At the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2018 in the West Indies, South Africa beat Sri Lanka by three runs in Gros Islet. Sri Lanka posted 99/8 and South Africa chased it down to 102/3. A three-run margin in a World Cup match shows how tight this fixture had become by 2018-but South Africa held their nerve when it mattered.
2019: Series Win in Sri Lanka
In the 2019 bilateral T20I series hosted by Sri Lanka, South Africa won 2-1-a series victory in subcontinental conditions that underlined their status as the stronger team across formats and venues. Between 2019 and early 2023, Sri Lanka did not win a bilateral series against South Africa in any format.
Phase 3-The Cape Town Upset That Changed Everything (2023)
No moment in the Sri Lanka women vs South Africa women’s national cricket team timeline carries more weight than February 10, 2023, at Newlands, Cape Town.
The Match That Defined the Rivalry
Sri Lanka posted 129/4 in 20 overs. Chamari Athapaththu scored 68 runs-the highest individual score in any T20I between these two nations-and Vishmi Gunaratne contributed 35. South Africa, chasing 130 on their home ground in front of their home crowd, collapsed to 126/9. Six of South Africa’s nine wickets fell to Sri Lanka’s spin attack:
- Inoka Ranaweera-3/18
- Oshadi Ranasinghe-2/20
- Sugandika Kumari-2/28
Sri Lanka won by three runs. It was Sri Lanka’s first ICC tournament victory over South Africa on South African soil. South Africa’s middle order lost four wickets in 24 balls between overs 12 and 18-a collapse that converted a routine chase into a three-run defeat. Ranaweera‘s 3/18 remains the best T20I bowling performance by a Sri Lanka Women bowler against South Africa Women.
Phase 4-Sri Lanka Win on South African Soil (2024 Bilateral Tour)
The 2024 bilateral tour proved that the 2023 result was not an isolated event. Sri Lanka became the first side to win a T20I bilateral series in South Africa against the Proteas Women.
T20I Series: Sri Lanka 2-1 South Africa
- 1st T20I, Willowmoore Park, Benoni: South Africa won by 79 runs-SA 198/5, SL 119 all out in 18.2 overs
- 2nd T20I, Senwes Park, Potchefstroom: Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets-SA 137/8, SL 138/3 in 18.5 overs
- 3rd T20I, Buffalo Park, East London: Sri Lanka won by 4 wickets-SA 155/6 in 20 overs, SL 156/6 in 19.1 overs
Sri Lanka won the T20I series 2-1.
ODI Series: Drawn 1-1
- 1st ODI, East London: No Result-SA 270/6, rain ended play
- 2nd ODI, Diamond Oval, Kimberley: South Africa won by 7 wickets-SL 229, SA 230/3 in 47.4 overs
- 3rd ODI, Senwes Park, Potchefstroom: Sri Lanka won by 6 wickets-SA 301/5, SL 305/4 in 44.3 overs
Sri Lanka’s 305/4 chasing 302 in Potchefstroom is the highest ODI total and the highest successful ODI chase in this rivalry.
Full 2024 Tour Results
| Match | Venue | Winner | Result |
| 1st T20I | Benoni | South Africa | SA won by 79 runs |
| 2nd T20I | Potchefstroom | Sri Lanka | SL won by 7 wickets |
| 3rd T20I | East London | Sri Lanka | SL won by 4 wickets |
| 1st ODI | East London | No Result | Rain |
| 2nd ODI | Kimberley | South Africa | SA won by 7 wickets |
| 3rd ODI | Potchefstroom | Sri Lanka | SL won by 6 wickets |
Phase 5-2025: Split Results and World Cup Statement
By 2025, both sides had earned significant results against each other across different venues and formats. The sri lanka women vs south africa women’s national cricket team timeline in 2025 produced two contrasting results that reflect the continued volatility of this fixture.
2025 ODI Tri-Nation Series, Colombo
In the 2025 Sri Lanka Women’s ODI Tri-Nation Series, Sri Lanka and South Africa met twice across the group stage:
- May 1, 2025: Sri Lanka beat South Africa by 5 wickets at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
- May 9, 2025: South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 76 runs at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
The two sides split their meetings 1-1 within the same series-on the same ground, within the same month.
ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, October 17, 2025
Rain reduced the match to a 20-over contest under D/L method at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. Sri Lanka posted 105/7 batting first. Nonkululeko Mlaba took 3/30 for South Africa. South Africa reached their revised target in 14.5 overs without losing a single wicket-winning by 10 wickets via DLS. It is South Africa’s largest victory by wickets in this rivalry and the most decisive result in any ICC tournament meeting between the two sides. This was Women’s ODI No. 1506.
Rivalry Records Hub
| Record | Detail | Match |
| Highest individual score (T20I) | Chamari Athapaththu-68 | T20 WC, Cape Town, Feb 2023 |
| Highest individual score (ODI) | Chamari Athapaththu-195* | Bilateral ODI vs SA Women |
| Best bowling figures (T20I) | Inoka Ranaweera-3/18 | T20 WC, Cape Town, Feb 2023 |
| Highest team total (T20I) | Sri Lanka-156/6 | Bilateral T20I |
| Highest team total (ODI) | Sri Lanka-305/4 | 3rd ODI, Potchefstroom, Apr 2024 |
| Highest successful ODI chase | Sri Lanka-305/4 chasing 302 | Potchefstroom, Apr 2024 |
| Largest victory (wickets) | South Africa-10 wkts (DLS) | ICC WC, Colombo, Oct 2025 |
| Largest victory (runs) | South Africa-79 runs | 1st T20I, Benoni, Mar 2024 |
| Lowest team total (T20I) | South Africa-49 | Bilateral T20I |
| Most Series Wins (T20I) | South Africa-3 bilateral wins | 2013, 2014 ODI, 2019 |
Key Players in This Rivalry
Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka Women)
Athapaththu is Sri Lanka’s most decisive match-winner in this rivalry. Her 68 at Newlands in the 2023 T20 World Cup is the highest individual score in any T20I between the two sides. Her 195 not out in bilateral ODI cricket against South Africa Women remains the highest individual ODI score in this rivalry. Across T20I cricket overall, she has scored 3,458 runs in 157 matches with a strike rate of 110.09-making her the cornerstone of every significant Sri Lanka performance against South Africa.
Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa Women)
Wolvaardt is South Africa’s most consistent ODI performer against Sri Lanka. She played a central role in South Africa’s dominant 10-wicket ICC Women’s World Cup win in Colombo in October 2025, completing the chase without loss alongside her opening partner. Her ability to build pressure partnerships at the top of the order has been a key factor in South Africa’s ODI superiority in this rivalry.
Marizanne Kapp (South Africa Women)
Kapp has contributed consistently with both bat and ball across South Africa’s meetings with Sri Lanka. Her powerplay bowling has regularly restricted Sri Lanka’s early scoring rate in bilateral encounters, and her middle-order batting has accelerated chases when South Africa have needed rapid run accumulation. She remains one of the key reasons South Africa maintains their overall bilateral advantage over Sri Lanka.
Inoka Ranaweera (Sri Lanka Women)
Ranaweera’s 3/18 in the 2023 Cape Town T20 World Cup match is the best bowling performance by a Sri Lanka Women bowler against South Africa Women in T20I cricket. Her ability to vary flight and turn the ball on pace-adjusted surfaces has consistently unsettled South Africa’s middle order when conditions allow Sri Lanka’s spin attack to operate effectively.
How the Rivalry Has Evolved: 2012–2025
The sri lanka women vs south africa women’s national cricket team timeline shows three distinct phases of competitive evolution: 2012–2018-South Africa clearly superior: South Africa won four of five ICC T20 World Cup meetings and took bilateral series in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s victories were limited to home conditions in 2014 and one ICC match in 2016. 2019–2022-South Africa maintains edge, gap narrows: South Africa won the 2019 bilateral 2-1 in Sri Lanka. Match margins across multiple T20I results in this period were consistently within 10 runs or three wickets, reflecting an increasingly competitive fixture. 2023–2025-Sri Lanka become a genuine away threat: Sri Lanka won the 2023 T20 World Cup match in Cape Town and the 2024 bilateral T20I series in South Africa-two away results that had not occurred at any point in the rivalry’s previous decade. South Africa won both 2025 meetings, re-establishing their record lead, but Sri Lanka’s demonstrated capacity to win in South Africa marks a measurable shift from the 2012–2022 period.
FAQs:
Q1. What is the overall head-to-head record between Sri Lanka Women and South Africa Women?
A1. As of June 2026, South Africa lead 11-8 across 20 matches in all formats combined. In T20Is: SA 6 wins, SL 5 wins. In ODIs: SA 5 wins, SL 3 wins, with one no result.
Q2. When did Sri Lanka Women first play South Africa Women?
A2. The two sides first met in September 2012 at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Galle, Sri Lanka. South Africa won by four wickets.
Q3. What happened in the 2023 T20 World Cup match between Sri Lanka and South Africa?
A3. Sri Lanka beat South Africa by three runs at Newlands, Cape Town on February 10, 2023. Chamari Athapaththu scored 68 and three Sri Lanka spinners took 7/66 from 14 overs. South Africa fell to 126/9 chasing 130.
Q4. Has Sri Lanka Women ever won a T20I series in South Africa?
A4. Yes. Sri Lanka Women won the March–April 2024 T20I series 2-1 in South Africa, with wins at Potchefstroom and East London after losing the opening match in Benoni.
Q5. What is the highest ODI total in Sri Lanka Women vs South Africa Women matches?
A5. Sri Lanka Women scored 305/4 in 44.3 overs chasing 302 at Senwes Park, Potchefstroom in April 2024-the highest total and the highest successful chase in any ODI between these two sides.
Q6. What was the result of the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup match?
A6. South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 10 wickets via the DLS method at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on October 17, 2025. Sri Lanka scored 105/7 and South Africa reached their revised target in 14.5 overs without losing a wicket.
Q7. Who has the best bowling figures in T20I cricket between Sri Lanka and South Africa Women?
A7. Inoka Ranaweera holds the best T20I figures in this rivalry-3/18 in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup match at Cape Town in February 2023.
Q8. What is the highest individual ODI score in this rivalry?
A8. Chamari Athapaththu scored 195 not out for Sri Lanka Women against South Africa Women-the highest individual ODI score in any match between the two nations.
Q9. How many times have Sri Lanka and South Africa Women met in ICC tournaments?
A9. Five times-at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2012, 2016, 2018, and 2023, and at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2025. South Africa lead ICC tournament meetings 3-2.
Q10. Which bilateral series has each side won in the Sri lanka women vs south africa women’s national cricket team timeline?
A10. South Africa have won the 2013, 2014 ODI, and 2019 bilateral series. Sri Lanka have won the 2014 T20I and 2024 T20I bilateral series. The 2024 ODI series finished 1-1.
