Sri Lanka will play India in their second group game on Thursday (8) at the same venue.
It was Pradeep once again, who provided the breakthrough for South Africa when he had du Plessis caught at deep midwicket and in the next over Seekkuge Prasanna (1-72) accounted for AB de Villiers (4).
"But we´re still humble at the same time and know that we have to work hard and take it one step at a time to win this", he added.
With Mathews expected to miss out with a calf injury the attention will turn to Upul Tharanga to lead the side upon the return of Lasith Malinga - the swing bowler having not played ODI cricket since 2015.
Tharanga also added that skipper Angelo Mathews, who almost missed out on returning to full fitness for the game against South Africa, will most likely be available for the next match against the defending champions.
Du Plessis made 75 in a second-wicket stand of 145 with Amla, who worked the ball off his pads and guided it behind square on the off side with the minimum of fuss.
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Imran Tahir claimed four wickets against Sri Lanka.
Amla became Roland-Jones' first worldwide scalp in the 16th over but any thought of a Proteas slump was quickly ended by JP Duminy and AB de Villiers - the pair seeing South Africa home with plenty of time to spare.
"Mathews had complained of stiffness and pain, prompting the team management to conduct radiographic investigations, which revealed a strain on the muscle", ESPNcricinfo quoted a Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) release as saying. After being invited by the Lankans to bat first, South Africa made a challenging 299, courtesy another brilliant century from Hashim Amla and invaluable contribution from Faf du Plesis.
Sri Lanka lost the match against South Africa in the Group B. However, this would be a major jolt to the team ahead of the two crucial fixture.
Meanwhile, Tharanga has been handed a two-match ban by the ICC for Sri Lanka's slow over-rate in the match. But two wickets in the 18th over bowled by Tahir changed the complexion of the game.
Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith has lauded Imran Tahir, branding him as the "best short form spinner in the world". Amla scored at a decent pace, taking 115 balls for his knock that featured only five fours and two sixes. A four-wicket intervention, including a superb googly in his first over to befuddle Chamara Kapugedera, plus a direct hit from mid-on to remove Suranga Lakmal, was enough to claim the award and in the process reassert his position as one of the champion ODI bowlers of his era.
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