Image source, BBC Sport/Getty Images

Batter to watch: Kusal Mendis

The inventive right-handed batter stamped his authority on last year's 50-over World Cup in India and will be hoping to do the same in the Caribbean.

He has scored nearly 1,200 runs in this World Cup cycle, nearly 500 more than the next Sri Lankan.

As a right-hander he will be targeted, particularly in these conditions with left-arm spin, but he excels against it, averaging 41 across his career. That is his highest of any bowling technique.

Bowler to watch: Matheesha Pathirana

The right-arm fast bowler has been turning into Sri Lanka great Lasith Malinga both in a numerical and style sense.

His bowling action achieves similar levels of speed, dip and destruction.

Across this Indian Premier League season, before a small injury, Pathirana took 13 wickets at an average of 13, blowing top orders away in the powerplay and crushing toes at the death.

With speeds touching 93mph, Pathirana could be the bowler to watch in the tournament.

Anthems done, let's have a quick look the two teams - the key players and what you need to know about them - before the first ball goes down...

Timothy Abraham
BBC Sport at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York

Image source, BBC Sport

A lot of the focus has been on the ground here and how the pitch will play. The four drop-in pitches used for the games in New York were shipped all the way from Australia by boat to Florida then brought here by trucks - or lorries as we know them. I was able to get out to the middle a little earlier to take a closer a look. If the warm-up games were anything to go by then they will be slightly on the slower side of things and not a great deal of bounce.

By no means a full house - perhaps not unsurprising on a Monday morning in New York - but there is still plenty in attendance to give the sides a warm welcome as they walk out for the national anthems.

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Security has been tightened in New York before today's game, including positioning police snipers at covert locations around the ground.

The match between Sri Lanka and South Africa is the first to take place at the 34,000 capacity temporary venue in Eisenhower Park.

Nassau County Police Department will oversee a massive operation to ensure the games held at the Long Island ground between 3-12 June pass off without incident.

India play Pakistan at the venue on 9 June, in what is the most high-profile match in the tournament's group stage.

A pro-ISIS group has reportedly threatened to target , externalthe tournament.

Read more on this story here.

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara.

South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Henricks, Aiden Markram (c), Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ottneil Baartman.

South Africa captain Aiden Markram: "We actually would have bowled so not too unhappy.

"Obviously not too sure how it's going to play but the history of the wicket is a bit of Adelaide, bit of Australia, so hopefully that can suit us bowling first.

"The team has been together now for a few years so more of the same, we feel like we've been playing good cricket.

"We did pretty well at the ODI World Cup, ideally would have liked to go a few steps further so an opportunity at this T20 World Cup to hopefully do so."

On being in the US: "It's been really good. Nice facilities, wickets are all only five months old. Enjoyable so far and excited to get going."

On make-up of the XI: "We go in with four quicks and one spinner."

Sri Lanka captain Wanindu Hasaranga: "The surface looks pretty good so we want to get a score on the board. We back our bowling attack, we know it's very strong and we can defend a total.

"I have only had about a month of preparation [since injury] but I am feeling confident and ready to go.

"We feel well prepared. Some players have come from the IPL but those who didn't, we are happy with the warm-up games that we had."

Aiden Markram called 'heads', it came down 'tails' and Wanindu Hasaranga says Sri Lanka will bat first.

There was an early test for the serenity of the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium when India great Ravi Shastri introduced the two captains for the toss...

Timothy Abraham
BBC Sport at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York

There's definitely a Field Of Dreams feel to this pop-up cricket ground. Rather than a corn field like Ray Kinsella - played by Kevin Costner in the famous baseball film - visitors walk through Eisenhower Park which is a green space with lots of trees and various foliage. We are quite a way from downtown Manhatten so there is a certain serenity to the place.

Image source, Getty Images

It's day two of the T20 World Cup and we've already seen some brilliant games!

This afternoon we get a first look at the 34,000-capacity temporary ground built in New York specially for the tournament.

That in itself is something to look forward to and we've got a game game to boot.

Sri Lanka face South Africa in the first meeting of two Test-playing nations in the competition. This should be a cracking match!