CWC 2023, SA vs SL: Proteas open campaign with win in high-scoring match
Saturday, October 7, 2023 was a day of runs, runs and only runs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. A total of 754 runs were scored in the match – the highest score in a World Cup game. South Africa, even after posting a world-record 428/5, the highest total in a World Cup match, could only win by 102 runs as the Sri Lankan team did not let the run-scoring opportunity slip away on one of the smoothest tracks in a game of cricket.
With an average first innings total below even 250, Delhi’s batting turned into a miraculously friendly one as the Sri Lankans posted 326 in their chase of 429, despite no one scoring a century. Kusal Mendis (76), Charit Asalanka (79) and Dasun Shanaka (68) were the three half-century scorers who hit more than a ball drop in their innings. For South Africa, World Cup debutant Gerald Coetzee finished with 3/68 in his three overs, while Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj claimed two wickets each. Lungi Ngidi got one wicket.
Earlier in the day, the only thing going in Sri Lanka’s favor in the fourth ODI World Cup 2023 match against South Africa was the draw. But after being asked to bat first, South Africa powered their way to the highest ODI total of the World Cup, amassing 428/5 in their fifty overs. Many other records were broken in that innings.
Markram scores the fastest ODI World Cup century
Aidan Markram scored the fastest ODI World Cup century, reaching the milestone in just 49 balls and breaking the record of Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien, who smashed 100 off 50 balls against England, incidentally in India during the 2011 World Cup.
3 centuries for the first time in a world cup
It was the first time that three centuries were scored by a team in an ODI World Cup match, with Rassie van der Dusen, Quinton de Kock and Markram reaching three figures.
3 centuries fourth time in ODI cricket
It was also only the fourth time three centuries have been scored in an ODI innings, with South Africa doing so for a record third time, having achieved similar milestones against India and West Indies in 2015. The only other team to do so , is England who achieved this rare feat against the Netherlands in 2022.
The most expensive World Cup spell by a debutant
Matheesha Patirana took 1/95 in his 10 overs and it is the most expensive spell by a debutant in the ODI World Cup. He also became the most expensive Sri Lankan bowler in a World Cup game, overtaking Ashanta de Mel, who conceded 91 in his spell against the West Indies in Karachi during the 1987 World Cup.