Fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and spinner Tabraiz Shamsi picked up four wickets each to set up South Africa's five-wicket victory against Sri Lanka in the first one-day international at Dambulla on Sunday.

Rabada, who took 4-41, inflicted the early damage while left-arm spinner Shamsi provided the late breakthroughs with his 4-33 as South Africa bundled out Sri Lanka for 193 under 35 overs after the hosts won the toss and opted to bat.

Off-spinner Akila Dananjaya picked up two early wickets to give Sri Lanka hope but the touring side, who were mauled 2-0 in the test series, recovered to reach the target in 31 overs and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Opener Quinton de Kock and captain Faf du Plessis hit identical 47s to steady South Africa's chase during a 86-run stand for the third wicket before the wicketkeeper-batsman became Dananjaya's third victim.

It was left to JP Duminy to take South Africa home with an unbeaten 53 off 32 deliveries.

Earlier, Kusal Perera hit a 72-ball 81 to provide some respectability to Sri Lanka's innings after the hosts were reduced to 36-5 in the face of a devastating opening spell from Rabada.

Kusal and Thisara Perera, who made 49, added 92 for the sixth wicket during a counter-attacking partnership before Shamsi separated them by dismissing the latter, caught behind to wicketkeeper de Kock.

Shamsi also dismissed Kusal, who was out caught trying to play a reverse sweep, after an entertaining innings that included 11 fours and a six.

The second match of the series will be played at the same venue on Wednesday.