“It was a perfect day for us with the bat. We had to work hard up front up against the swinging ball and then well into the middle overs.”
South Africa rewrote the Cricket World Cup document books in a 102-run victory over Sri Lanka in Delhi on Saturday.
The Proteas posted the very best ever World Cup whole of 428-5, bettering the earlier World Cup excessive of 417 made by Australia in opposition to Afghanistan at Perth in 2015.
Aiden Markram clubbed the quickest event century in simply 49 balls The earlier document was held by Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien off 50 balls in opposition to England in Bengaluru in 2011.
Markram’s first 50 on Saturday got here from 34 balls whereas he wanted solely 15 extra deliveries so as to add the following 50.
Century hitters
Rassie van der Dussen (108) and Quinton de Kock (100) additionally hit centuries within the first World Cup match to characteristic three tons in the identical innings.
Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka and captain Dasun Shanaka all then hit half-centuries however Sri Lanka’s reply was at all times going to be injury limitation.
“It was a perfect day for us with the bat. We had to work hard up front up against the swinging ball and then well into the middle overs,” mentioned Van der Dussen. “Aiden Markram when he plays like that is incredible to watch.”
Poor exhibiting
For Sri Lanka, the figures made for grim studying with two of their bowlers – Matheesha Pathirana (1-95) and Kasun Rajitha (1-90) – conceding greater than 180 runs from 20 overs.
It was a exceptional show of big-hitting by a Proteas facet who had been skittled out for simply 99 the final time they performed at New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium in October 2022.
De Kock, who’s taking part in in his ultimate 50-over World Cup, hit his 18th ODI century off 83 balls with 12 fours and three sixes.
De Kock placed on 204 runs for the second wicket with Van der Dussen earlier than being dismissed off the following ball he confronted after reaching 100, prime edging a supply from Pathirana to Dhananjaya de Silva at mid-on.
Van der Dussen quickly reached his fifth century within the format off 103 balls with 12 fours and three sixes.
The 34-year-old, taking part in in his fiftieth ODI, was out within the thirty eighth over when Sadeera Samarawickrama took a catch on the long-on boundary.
De Kock and Van der Dussen got here collectively on the fall of the primary wicket when captain Temba Bavuma was trapped lbw by Dilshan Madushanka for simply eight within the second over.
Outstanding Markram
Markram gave Sri Lanka no respite, racing to his half-century from 34 balls earlier than he and Heinrich Klaasen (32) took the Proteas previous the 350 mark within the forty fourth over.
Markram’s century featured 14 fours and three sixes.
He plundered 18 off one over from Pathirana, the younger, sling-action quick bowler hailed as the seemingly World Cup “X factor” 24 hours earlier by Sri Lanka coach Chris Silverwood.
Markram was ultimately dismissed when he skied the ball to Rajitha within the deep off Madushanka.
David Miller cracked 39 runs off 21 balls with two sixes within the late overs to additional deepen the distress for Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka’s reply was at all times going to be a troublesome ask.
Proteas quick bowler Marco Jansen took two early wickets, clear bowling Sri Lanka openers Pathum Nissanka (nought) and Kusal Perera (seven).
Mendis, who hit 158 in opposition to Afghanistan in a warm-up final week, briefly threatened hope for Sri Lanka.
The 28-year-old raced to a half-century off simply 25 balls however his resistance ended when Klaasen held on to a catch off a 140km/h supply from Kagiso Rabada.
Mendis made 76 with 4 boundaries and eight sixes whereas Asalanka hit 79 with eight fours and 4 sixes.
Shanaka additionally helped restore a level of dignity with 68, the primary time in 14 innings he had obtained previous 25.
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