Aiden Markram has smashed a 49-ball hundred, the fastest-ever century in the men’s 50-overs World Cup, as South Africa’s rampaging top order helped them thrash Sri Lanka by 102 runs in their tournament opener.
There was brutal batting at the Arun Jaitley Stadium where three of South Africa’s top four batters smashed rapid hundreds to help them rack up a tournament record total of 5-428 on Saturday.
Quinton de Kock struck 100 and Rassie van der Dussen hammered 108 but both were overshadowed by Markram’s incendiary 106 off 54 balls.
Markram, adjudged player of the match, eclipsed Ireland batter Kevin O’Brien’s 50-ball century against England in the 2011 World Cup.
Former champions Sri Lanka were all out for 326 in 44.5 overs after brief fightbacks from Kusal Mendis (76), Charith Asalanka (79) and Dasun Shanaka (68).
South Africa’s mammoth score replaced Australia’s 417-6 against Afghanistan in 2015 as the highest in the men’s World Cup.
“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.”
A staggering 31 sixes were hit in the match, to go with 74 fours, on a belter of a track that produced 754 runs.
Shanaka elected to field after winning the toss and the 1996 champions did not have to wait long for a breakthrough.
Dilshan Madushanka trapped Bavuma lbw in the second over but Sri Lanka did not get a chance to celebrate another dismissal in the next 29 overs with De Kock and Van der Dussen combining in a rollicking 204-run stand.
De Kock pulled Matheesha Pathirana to reach an 83-ball century, celebrating the milestone by punching the air and letting out a scream.
He attempted another pull off the next ball, only to top-edge to mid-on and depart after a whirlwind knock that included three sixes.
Van der Dussen’s nearly run-a-ball knock came to an end when he holed out trying to hit Dunith Wellalage out of the park.
Markram, who clobbered 14 fours and three sixes, then took over and boundaries started flowing.
When Sri Lanka returned to begin their chase, Mendis decided to fight fire with fire and raced to a 25-ball fifty, threatening to snatch Markram’s record.
Kagiso Rabada came to his team mate’s rescue and dismissed Mendis caught behind after the batter’s 42-ball blitz that was studded with eight sixes and four fours.
“The execution was not there, we were missing the right length. On these kind of wickets that’s very tough,” Shanaka said of his team’s batting.
Bangladesh on the board after crushing Afghanistan
Allrounder Mehidy Hasan has scored a half-century and taken three wickets as Bangladesh got their Cricket World Cup campaign off to a solid start with a six-wicket victory over Afghanistan in Dharamsala.
Having won the toss and elected to field, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan put his side in the driving seat by claiming three key wickets for 30 runs, while Mehidy (3-25) mopped up the tail.
Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz top-scored for Afghanistan with 47.
Mehidy, who came in at No.3, then played a significant part in Bangladesh’s reply, hitting 57 off 73 balls as the 2015 quarter-finalists chased down their target of 157 in 34.4 overs.
“I was a little bit cautious in my mind early on while bowling but the captain told me to bowl at the right areas and told me to be consistent and that gave me confidence,” player of the match Mehidy said.
“I always play at number eight so it was a great opportunity to bat in the top order. I always have the hunger so definitely it’s a great moment for me to perform.”
Bangladesh’s chase got off to a rocky start, with both openers departing early to leave them on 2-27.
Mehidy’s arrival steadied the ship, but he benefited from a touch of fortune when he was dropped by Najibullah Zadran on 16.
The 25-year-old combined with Najmul Hossain Shanto (59 not out) for 97, and though Rahmat Shah pulled off a spectacular one-handed catch to end Mehidy’s knock, the damage was done as Bangladesh eased to victory.
Afghanistan had got off to a good start as Gurbaz put up fleeting stands with Ibrahim Zadran (22) and Rahmat (18), but Shakib tempted both into risky shots and a couple of wayward top edges ended the partnerships just as they began to look dangerous.
Despite the loss of those two wickets, Afghanistan looked in a strong position at 2-112 after 24 overs, but their hopes of building on that platform suffered a devastating blow as Hashmatullah Shahidi (18) and Gurbaz were dismissed in quick succession.
That sparked a middle order collapse and Afghanistan lost their remaining six wickets for just 44 more runs to end on 156.
The match was an important one for both sides as they are the two lowest-ranked teams in the tournament after the Netherlands.
>Cricket News
%20(3).jpeg)
0 Comments