South African Aiden Markram celebrates his century during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match against Sri Lanka in New Delhi on October 7, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI
It surely hurts to be at the receiving end of some brutal belting and a massive 102-run defeat. What makes it worse for the suffering captain is the fact that he asked for it.
On a batting beauty of a pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium that eventually produced 754 runs — with a World Cup record for aggregate boundary hits of 74 fours and 31 sixes — Dasun Shanaka’s decision to field appeared justified on a hot afternoon when his opposite number Temba Bavuma fell to the 10th ball of the innings and the next five overs produced just 10.
But what followed was a run-riot leading to a few World Cup records, including the fastest century and the highest total.
South Africa’s tally of 428 for five — its third 400-plus total in the World Cup — surpassed the 417 for six by Australia against Afghanistan at Perth in 2015.
Under the continued, calculated assault, the Lankan bowlers wilted like never before. On a surface which assisted consistent bounce, they offered width and pitched at drivable lengths to concede runs in heaps on both sides of the pitch.
Even the tally of 21 wides exposed the bowlers’ poor line.
The innings, dotted with 45 fours and 14 sixes, saw Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram smash centuries to become the first trio to do so in the World Cup.
The 204-run second-wicket stand involving de Kock and van der Dussen re-laid the foundation on which Markram capitalised. Markram’s 49-ball century erased Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien’s 50-ball record against England in Bengaluru in 2011.
Cameos from Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller followed as 156 came off the final 11 overs.
The result became a reality in the 45th over but not before Kusal Mendis carried the faint Lankan hopes with an electric 42-ball 76 dotted with eight sixes and four boundaries.
Mendis smashed three sixes off Lungi Ngidi and hit two more off Jansen as 35 came off two successive overs to take Lanka to 54 for one in six overs. He went on to cart Kagiso Rabada for two sixes in the ninth as 29 in two overs.
After Mendis fell chasing Rabada’s wide delivery, Charith Asalanka gave the innings a second wind. His 65-ball 79 and the 82-run sixth-wicket stand with skipper Shanaka (68) lent respectability to the total.