On this day in 2023, South Africa registered one of the biggest wins for a team against a full-member nation in an ODI Cricket World Cup match. The Proteas dominated the game against the then-defending champions across all facets of the game to claim a massive win of 229 runs. It was an example of how dominant the South African team was in the entire tournament.
South Africa batted first at Wankhede and posted a mammoth total of 399 runs on the board. Quinton De Kock was dismissed for just 4(2). What followed was the building of the South African innings from Reeza Hendricks and Rassie Van Der Dussen. While Reeza scored a brisk 85(75), Rassie played a calculative 60(61).
Aiden Markram played his hand and made a handy 40(42). It seemed like the South African innings were in second gear till that point. Things changed massively when Heinrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen showed why they were two of the best finishers in the world. The aggressive batters took the English bowlers to the cleaners. Their partnership took the game away from England completely.
While Miller was dismissed for 5(6), Jansen joined Klaasen and continued the beating. The All-rounder helped the WK batter with his 75(42). It was Klaasen who stole the show with his aggressive 109(67). England could not get anything right on the given day. Asked to chase 400, their batters fell like a pack of cards. It took two tailenders to save an embarrassing defeat for them.
None of the designated batters could do the job for the 2019 champs. South African bowlers collectively bowled well and got wickets at regular intervals. Ngidi with the new ball claimed 2 wickets. Jansen assisted him from the other end with a couple of wickets. Gerald Coetzee shined by claiming 3 wickets. SA dismissed ENG for 170 in just 22 overs.
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