South African exhibited a batting mastery for the ages in an electrifying ODI World Cup face-off against Sri Lanka at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on October 7. First Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen belted a century each to help South Africa post a colossal total of 428/5. Then South Africa's sharp bowling attack kept Sri Lankan batters in check. After sending Pathum Nissanka for a duck, young 23-year-old left-arm seamer Marco Jansen, stood out with a stunning delivery to hunt down Sri Lanka's seasoned batter Kusal Perera.
As South Africa took the field to defend their robust target, Jansen swiftly made his presence felt. He delivered a maiden World Cup delivery to remember, dismissing Pathum Nissanka without allowing him to open his account. As the Lankan inning progressed, Kusal Mendis unleashed an onslaught on the South African bowlers, quickly notching up his half-century. Meanwhile, Perera seemed to be content playing a supporting role.
However, Perera's stint at the crease didn't last long. In the 8th over, Jansen's length delivery, with a hint of extra bounce, proved too much for Perera. Caught off guard, Perera failed to move forward, leading to the ball sneaking through and dismantling the stumps. Perera's brief stand culminated with a score of 7 runs from 15 balls, which included a solitary boundary.
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Earlier in the day, South Africa's batting order displayed sheer brilliance. Setting the scoreboard on fire were the likes of Quinton (100), van der Dussen (108), and Aiden Markram (106). Their combined efforts led South Africa to an imposing total of 428/5. Among the plethora of records shattered during this innings, Markram's explosive century, completed in just 49 balls, stood out as it became the quickest hundred ever in ODI World Cup history.
Moreover, the trio of Markram, van der Dussen, and de Kock made a mark by becoming the first set of three players to score centuries in a single ODI World Cup inning. This remarkable feat had only been accomplished three times previously in ODI history.
With their score of 428/5, South Africa have now etched their name in the ODI World Cup records as the team with the highest-ever total. This game also marked the third instance when the Proteas crossed the 400-run milestone in World Cup matches.
The match was not just another game but an assertion of South Africa's dominance, both with the bat and ball, setting the tone for their campaign in World Cup 2023.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
Quinton De Kock goes past Kallis with spectacular century, achieves special feat with 204-run partnership with Rassie
South Africa post highest-ever total in the 48-year-old history of ODI World Cup
