LONDON • Faf du Plessis believes South Africa have to win all their remaining games if they are to have any chance of reaching the World Cup semi-finals after notching their first win of the tournament against Afghanistan on Saturday.

The Proteas have endured a torrid start to their campaign in England and Wales, losing their first three matches, before a no-result against the West Indies, with the match being called off owing to rain.

But the outcome never looked in doubt in Cardiff, with Man of the Match Imran Tahir taking four wickets as the South Africans, who were unable to call on Dale Steyn after the paceman's tournament-ending injury, bundled Afghanistan out for a meagre 125 before cantering to victory by nine wickets.

Skipper du Plessis said: "Hopefully, this is a real confidence booster for everyone on the team.

"And there's a little bit of weight that you feel that's off your shoulders now, so now the guys - we know what's lying ahead. We need to win every game that we play."

The win lifts South Africa to seventh in the 10-team table after five matches, but their chances of qualifying for the semi-finals by reaching the top four are remote, with New Zealand and defending champions Australia still to come in their remaining four games.

Separately, Sri Lanka are likely to be hit with an International Cricket Council sanction after failing to fulfil their media duties following Saturday's damaging World Cup defeat by Australia.

Dimuth Karunaratne's side were beaten by 87 runs at the Oval, leaving their hopes of progressing hanging by a slender thread.

The skipper and his teammates were due to face the press after the match, but they refused to attend the press conferences, leaving them liable to face retrospective action from the tournament organisers.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE