New Delhi: South Africa kicked off their ICC World Cup campaign with a resounding 102-run victory over Sri Lanka, setting a new record for the highest team total in World Cup history. Aiden Markram's blistering century (106 off 54 balls) played a pivotal role in achieving this milestone, as the Proteas posted a massive total of 428/5.
Markram's remarkable feat also earned him the record for the fastest century in World Cup history, achieved in just 49 balls. Quinton de Kock (100) and Rassie van der Dussen (108) contributed centuries of their own, propelling South Africa to their record-breaking total. In response, Sri Lanka displayed moments of brilliance, with Kusal Mendis smashing a rapid 76, while Charith Asalanka top-scored with 79. Dasun Shanaka also found his form, scoring 68. However, the target of 429 proved insurmountable for Sri Lanka, who managed to post a respectable 326 in 44.5 overs.
The match ended with a remarkable distinction, featuring the highest total runs scored in a World Cup game, with 754 runs registered at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Early in the Sri Lankan innings, Marco Jansen (2/92) made a breakthrough by dismissing Pathum Nissanka for a duck in just the second over. Kusal Mendis then took charge, launching a spectacular array of sixes across the ground, amassing a 25-ball fifty.
Despite Mendis's explosive performance, his partners Kusal Perera (7) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (23) failed to provide significant support. Mendis eventually departed after a remarkable 42-ball blitz, which saw him hit eight sixes and four boundaries for a total of 76 runs. Samarawickrama was the next to fall, chipping a delivery towards midwicket. Charith Asalanka led Sri Lanka's middle-order recovery with a well-constructed innings that featured four sixes and eight fours. However, it was evident that Sri Lanka was primarily focused on reducing the margin of defeat.
Other notable contributions included Dhananjaya de Silva's 11 runs, while Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka found his rhythm late in the innings, scoring 68 runs off 62 balls. The South African bowling attack saw Kagiso Rabada (2/50) and Gerald Coetzee (3/68) making crucial breakthroughs. Keshav Maharaj (2/62) also played a part in cleaning up Sri Lanka's batting lineup.
As the game neared its conclusion, Kasun Rajitha added 33 runs from 31 balls to Sri Lanka's total. In the first innings, South Africa's centurions, including Quinton de Kock (100), Rassie van der Dussen (108), and Aiden Markram (106), powered their team to a monumental total of 428/5. Their collective effort included 39 fours and eight sixes. De Kock and Van der Dussen established a strong platform with their partnership of 204 runs for the second wicket. Heinrich Klaasen (32) and David Miller (39 not out) made valuable contributions in the latter stages of the innings.
South Africa's dominant batting display enabled them to surpass the previous highest World Cup total held by Australia, who had scored 417/7 against Afghanistan in the 2015 edition. The comprehensive victory in their opening World Cup match will undoubtedly boost South Africa's confidence as they aim to make a strong impact in the tournament.
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