South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 102 runs in a high-scoring Men’s 50-over World Cup match in Delhi on Saturday to make a solid start in their mega event campaign as the Lions’ struggled to chase a mammoth target of 429 runs.
Chasing an imposing 429, Dasun Shanaka’s side fell short as South Africa’s imperious batting performance helped them clinch victory as well as put in the highest total of the event.
Small partnerships between the Sri Lankan middle order raised some hopes but the task ultimately proved too much. They were all out for 326 runs.
South Africa posted the highest World Cup total on Saturday when they scored 428-5 against Sri Lanka on a record-setting day in New Delhi.
The Proteas bettered the previous World Cup best of 417 made by Australia against Afghanistan at Perth in 2015.
Aiden Markram (106) also made history by smashing the fastest World Cup century, reaching the milestone in just 49 balls.
Rassie van der Dussen (108) and Quinton de Kock (100) also hit centuries in the first World Cup match to feature three tons in the same innings.
De Kock, who is playing in his final international tournament, hit his 18th ODI century off 83 balls with 12 fours and three sixes.
De Kock put on 204 runs for the second wicket with van der Dussen before being dismissed off the next ball he faced after reaching 100, top edging a delivery from Matheesha Pathirana to Dhananjaya de Silva at mid-on.
Van der Dussen soon reached his fifth century in the format off 103 balls with 12 fours and three sixes.
De Kock and van der Dussen came together at the fall of the first wicket when skipper Temba Bavuma was trapped lbw by Dilshan Madushanka for just eight in the second over.
