Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com
South Africa came with a dominating performance as they defeat Sri Lanka by a big margin of of 102 runs in the fourth game of the World Cup on Saturday.
The Proteas bowled the Lankan batters out for 326 runs in 44.5 overs while defending the mammoth total of 428 runs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi.
Basically, the record highest total set the platform of the victory for the Proteas. It was the matter to see that in how many runs they restricting Sri Lanka.
In reply to the target, Sri Lanka got off a flying start despite losing Pathum Nissanka for a duck, thanks to Kusal Mendis’s swashbuckling innings of 42-ball 76 that included 4 fours and 8 sixes.
At the end of 12 overs, they were 107/2 but 2 quick wickets off successive overs derailed the chase completely and although Charith Asalanka (79) and Dasun Shanaka (68) composed fifties, they only helped reduce the defeat margin.
After the departure of the duo, it was the matter of time when South Africa winning the match.
Gerald Coetzee struck trice while Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj got two wicket each for the Proteas.
Earlier, Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram hit hundreds to collect the highest run in the ODI World Cup history. The trio got 100 off 84, 108 off 110 and 106 off 54 respectively.
Being asked to bat, The Proteas lost skipper Temba Bavuma on 10 runs. Then the real show came while de Kock and Dussen made a marathon 204-run partnership in the second wicket. Both of them were dismissed after just completing their centuries.
After that, the Markram mania came as he made the spectators enjoy some cleanest power hitting on show. He hit the fastest hundred in ODI World Cup history as he reached the milestone in just 49 balls.
David Miller (39 off 21) and Heinrich Klaasen (32 off 20) added finishing cameos to reach the score of 428.
Dilshan Madushanka struck twice while Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana and Dunith Wellalage got one wicket each for Sri Lanka.
Playing XIs
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada.
Sri Lanka: Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Kasun Rajitha.
