Aiden Markram hits fastest tournament century as Proteas post 428-5
South Africa broke a number of records as they defeated Sri Lanka by 102 runs in Delhi in their World Cup 2023 opener on Saturday.
The Proteas posted the highest ever World Cup total of 428-5 while Aiden Markram smashed the fastest tournament century in just 49 balls to set up victory.
South Africa bettered the previous World Cup high of 417 made by Australia against Afghanistan at Perth in 2015. Their total of 428-5 was also the ninth highest in all One-Day Internationals.
Markram, who made 106, beat the previous record for fastest World Cup century which was claimed by Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien off 50 balls against England at Bengaluru in 2011.
It was a run-fest at the Arun Jaitley Stadium where three of South Africa’s top four batters smashed hundreds.
Quinton de Kock struck 100 and Rassie van der Dussen hit 108 but both were overshadowed by Markram’s incendiary 106 off 54 balls.
Sri Lanka put up a brave fight, getting dismissed for 326 in 44.5 overs after brief fightbacks from Kusal Mendis (76), Charith Asalanka (79) and Dasun Shanaka (68).
A staggering 31 sixes were hit in the match, to go with 74 fours, on a belter of a track that produced 754 runs.
“Happy for us. I can’t find fault with the batting,” South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said.
“We were not quite clinical with the ball, but we will take that confidence into the next game.”
For Sri Lanka, the figures made for grim reading with two of their bowlers – Matheesha Pathirana (1-95) and Kasun Rajitha (1-90) – conceding more than 180 runs from 20 overs.
It was a remarkable display of big-hitting by a South African side who were skittled out for just 99 the last time they played at New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium in October 2022.
“From a team like South Africa, we expected 350 anyway in these conditions. If we’d managed to keep them to 370 it’s manageable,” said captain Dasun Shanaka.
“We had the momentum especially the way that Mendis and Asalanka played. But their total was a little too much for us.”
De Kock, who is playing in his final international tournament, hit his 18th ODI century off 83 balls with 12 fours and three sixes.
De Kock put on 204 runs for the second wicket with Van der Dussen before being dismissed off the next ball he faced after reaching 100, top edging a delivery from Pathirana to Dhananjaya de Silva at mid-on.
Source: The National
