Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi Pitch Report & Weather Forecast for SA vs SL, 4th ICC ODI World Cup 2023 Match

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Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi is all set to host the fourth match of the ICC World Cup 2023 on Saturday (October 7) with South Africa beginning their quest for the elusive trophy when they face 1996 champions Sri Lanka.

Temba Bavuma's South Africa head into the match on the back of a close defeat in their only warm up match after their first match was abandoned due to rain, while Sri Lanka are fresh from back-to-back defeats in their warm up matches.

South Africa saw their first warm up match against Afghanistan being washed out in Thiruvananthapuram, where they managed to get a truncated game which they lost by 11 runs (DLS method) to New Zealand.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, failed to defend a total of 263 against Bangladesh in Guwahati, where they also failed to defend a DLS revised target of 257 in rain-affected second warm up match.

Both sides have seen their warm up games affected by rain. So, how will the weather and pitch conditions be for their first-ever clash in Dharmasala? Will rain once again have an impact? Will dew be a factor in the match?

With some parts of India witnessing showers due to the retreating monsoon, here is a look at the Delhi weather forecast and the Arun Jaitley Stadium pitch report for SA vs SL 1st ICC World Cup match:

Delhi Weather Forecast on October 7

There is no threat of rain in Delhi on Saturday (October 7) or in the lead up to match. In fact, it is going to be a very warm day with a full day of sunshine leading to a maximum temperature of 36° C in the noon, but it's expected to get a little cooler in the evening, reducing to 32° C.

The dew factor is definitely going to be a concern in the second half of the match, making it difficult for the teams fielding. Despite the scorching heat, teams may be tempted to chase due to the dew factor. But, how is the wicket going to play?

Arun Jaitley Stadium pitch report for SA vs SL World Cup match

The wickets at the Feroz Shah Kotla were known to be on the slower side, providing assistance to slower bowlers or spinner as the match progresses. However, among the total of nine pitches in the main square, two have been freshly laid and the black soil has been used to prepare the pitches.

The black soil pitches are known to produce more bounce, allowing free run-scoring opportunities. Red soil pitches, on the other hand, are known to dry up soon and assist the slower bowlers or spinners as the match progresses. The one with the mixture of both is expected to be even.

Although there are nine pitches in the main square, one three, including the two newly-laid wickets will be used in the ICC World Cup 2023. So, expect a little better scores than the last five ODIs at the venue.

The last ODI was played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in 2022. And South Africa will be eager to forget their last outing in ODIs at the venue, where they were bundled out for 99 by India after falling to Kuldeep Yadav's spin.

In the 26 ODIs played at this venue, the team chasing has had a slight edge compared to the teams batting first, with the average first innings score being just 230. While the wickets have been slow, the outfield in quick and the boundaries are short.

If there is good bounce and carry, batters may find it a little easier to score runs compared to the previous ODI matches. The wickets used during IPL also saw a mixture of some high-scoring matches and low-scoring thrillers that were dominated by spinners.

However, with dew likely to be a factor especially during the winter, spinners may not play a role in the second inning of the day-night matches. So, teams will definitely be tempted to chase on the wicket, especially Sri Lanka, who have failed to defend a total in their warm up matches.