(Reuters) - South Africa will be without a number of key players for their three one-day internationals in Sri Lanka next month, but expect their big guns to return for the Twenty20 series that follows as they build towards the World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

South Africa play three ODIs in Colombo from Sept. 2-7, but will be without leading batsman Quinton de Kock (rested), powerful middle-order hitter David Miller (hamstring injury) and seamer Lungi Ngidi (personal reasons).