Centuries from Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen, followed by the fastest World Cup century from Aiden Markram and a three-wicket haul from Gerald Coetzee, helped South Africa beat Sri Lanka by a massive 102 runs margin despite a massive response from Kusal Mendis.
Speaking about the game, Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to field first. SA lost Bavuma early as Dilshan Madushanka drew first blood. From thereon, it was full of partnerships from South Africa. First, Quinton de Kock and Rassie Van der Dussen added 204 runs for the second wicket, and both went on to score their respective centuries in the course of the partnership.
De Kock was dismissed immediately after scoring his century, while van der Dussen was dismissed for 108. Aiden Markram registered the fastest century in the World Cup as he went bonkers against the bowlers in the middle overs to help them go big in the game. Markram amassed 106 runs from 54 balls, including 17 boundaries. 32 off 20 from Heinrich Klaasen, 21-ball 39* from David Miller and 12 runs off seven balls from Marco Jansen down the order helped South Africa post 428/5 in 50 overs, the highest total in the history of the ODI World Cup. For Sri Lanka, Madushanka picked up two wickets for 86 runs in 10 overs.
In reply to 428, Sri Lanka got off to an awful start as they lost Pathum Nissanka earlier on for a duck. Kusal Mendis then came in with a blistering knock as he went round the corners against the likes of the South African bowlers, scoring eight sixes and four fours before nicking one to the keeper off Kagiso Rabada. Asalanka and Dasun Shanaka led the rescue with 82 runs, standing for the sixth wicket. Both Asalanka and Shanaka registered their respective fifties, but that just helped them to reduce the defeat margin as South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 102 runs. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 326.
Meanwhile, let us look at the stats and numbers from game between South Africa and Sri Lanka:
428/5 – South Africa recorded the highest total of 428 in the history of the World Cup, surpassing Australia’s tally of 417 against Afghanistan in 2015.
49 – Aiden Markram smashed his century off 49 balls; this is the fastest hundred recorded in the World Cup. Kevin O’Brien previously recorded a century of 50 balls against England in 2011.
1 – This is the first instance of three batters scoring a century in a single innings of the ODI World Cup.
754 – Overall, 754 runs have been scored in the game between South Africa and Sri Lanka, the highest match total in the World Cup. The previous best was 714 between Australia and Bangladesh in Nottingham in 2019.
105 – Overall, 105 boundaries have been scored in the game, the most number of boundaries scored in the match In World Cup. The previous best was 93 between West Indies and New Zealand in Wellington in 2015.
5 – South Africa have won five World Cup games against Sri Lanka and lost only once.
4 – This is the fourth instance of three centuries that have been scored in an ODI game.
Three centuries in an ODI:
South Africa vs West Indies in Johannesburg in 2015
South Africa vs India in Mumbai (WS) in 2015
England vs Netherlands in Amstelveen in 2022
South Africa vs Sri Lanka in Delhi in 2023
18 – Quinton de Kock registered his 18th century in an ODI, the fourth most by a South African in ODIs.
8 – South Africa have crossed 400+ in ODI for the 8th time, the most by any team in ODIs.
204 – Quinton de Kock and Rassie Van der Dussen recorded 204 runs for the second wicket; this is the second-highest partnership for South Africa in WC. 247 runs by Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla against Ireland tops the list.
94/2 – Sri Lanka recorded a score of 94 in the first ten overs, the second-highest powerplay score in the ODI World Cup. The highest is 116/2, recorded by New Zealand against England in Wellington in 2015.
55 – Kusal Mendis (55) completed 50 sixes in ODI.