It was proper carnage from the Aiden Makram led South Africa batters at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi as they plundered 428 runs in their first match of the World Cup 2023 against Sri Lanka on Saturday.
While India, Australia, and England were three of the favorites picked by most fans and experts, this was as resounding a message as South Africa would have hoped to give to other teams.
This total of 428 runs is now the highest-ever total in World Cup history. It was made on the back of three centuries – from Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen, and Aiden Markram, who shattered the record for the fastest ODI World Cup century.
Aiden Markram reached his century in 49 balls, breaking Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien’s record of 50 balls vs England in 2011.
Batting at number 4, Markram smashed 14 fours and 3 sixes in his sizzling knock of 106 runs in 54 balls.
Virat Kohli’s tweet from 2018 on Aiden Markram goes viral
As Markram broke the record for the fastest century in the ODI World Cup, a tweet from former India skipper Virat Kohli went viral. It was a tweet from Kohli from 2018 that resurfaced on social media. In that tweet from 2018, Kohli had hailed Markram’s class and his batting being very pleasing to the eye.
Virat Kohli had tweeted: “Aiden Markram is a delight to watch!”
After being put in to bat first, South Africa lost skipper Temba Bavuma early in the second over itself. But then began the carnage with Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen forging a terrific 204-run stand for the second wicket. After them, Aiden Markram took over and annihilated the Lankan bowlers, along with cameos from Klaasen and Miller that took their total to 428.
Teams:
Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka(c), Dunith Wellalage, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Kasun Rajitha
South Africa (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), Temba Bavuma(c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada
