In a thrilling encounter at the ongoing ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023, South Africa continued to showcase their impressive form with a commanding 134-run victory over Australia in Match 10 at Lucknow. South Africa’s performance in this match was nothing short of remarkable, reaffirming their status as a strong contender in the tournament.
With this commanding triumph over Australia, the Proteas have continued their impressive start to the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023. South Africa’s impressive net run rate of +2.360 underlines their dominance in the early stages of the tournament. correct grammatically
With a 108-run opening partnership, Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock showcased their skill and ability to capitalize on any opportunity. While Bavuma contributed a solid 35 runs to the partnership, it was Quinton de Kock who played a pivotal role in South Africa’s commanding total. The fielding lapses not only allowed De Kock to continue his innings but also provided South Africa with the breathing room they needed to post a substantial total.
Aiden Markram delivered yet another impressive performance. His superb 44-ball 56 not only showcased his skills but also contributed valuable runs to South Africa’s total, enabling them to accumulate a formidable 311/7 on the scoreboard. Markram’s ability to maintain form is a significant asset to the South African team, offering stability in the middle order.
Glenn Maxwell, on the other hand, was a bright spot for Australia’s bowling efforts. Maxwell’s figures of 2/34 reflected his effectiveness in containing the South African batsmen and picking up crucial wickets, even amidst the batting onslaught.
Chasing down a huge target of 312 runs, the Australian innings were off to a disastrous start as they lost both their openers early in the innings. After an early blow from Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jensen, Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj struck in the 10-20 overs phase picking up three more wickets.
Mitchell Starc and Marnus Labuschagne steadied the innings adding 69 runs for the seventh wicket. The Australian batters tried to take on the bowlers as the required rate was over 10 and mistimed their shot and lost the wickets. The Aussies were eventually bowled out for 177 runs in 40.5 overs handing South Africa their biggest win over Australia in ODI World Cups.
1. Australia’s Biggest Defeat in ODI World Cups
Australia’s performance in the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 has been far from their usual standard of excellence. In a forgettable match against South Africa, they experienced a humbling defeat by a substantial margin of 134 runs. While attempting to chase down a challenging target of 312 runs set by the Proteas, Australia’s batting lineup could only manage to reach a total of 177 runs. This loss marks a significant milestone and a rather unpleasant record for Australia in ODI World Cups.
In fact, this 134-run defeat is Australia’s biggest-ever loss in Men’s ODI World Cups when considering the margin of runs remaining. Their previous most substantial loss had occurred back in 1983 when they were defeated by India, falling short by 118 runs in a match played in Chelmsford. This historical context emphasizes the scale of their defeat against South Africa in the 2023 World Cup, as it surpasses the previous record for their largest margin of defeat in World Cup matches.
2. Australia have now lost four of their last Men’s ODI World Cup matches for the first time
Australia, a cricketing powerhouse with a remarkable history in the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup, experienced an unexpected and disheartening turn of events in the tournament. Their illustrious World Cup journey, which once saw them go unbeaten for an astonishing 34 consecutive matches from 1999 to 2011, has taken a stark and unprecedented dip.
The five-time winners have lost four straight games for the first time in their ODI World Cup history. They have begun their 2023 campaign on the worst possible note, having lost their last two 2019 ODI World Cup matches (against South Africa and England).
In their opening match of the World Cup 2023, they faced a formidable Indian team in Chennai and experienced a disheartening loss. The struggle continued in their second match, where they found themselves pitted against South Africa.
3. Quinton de Kock’s Remarkable Milestone in World Cups for South Africa
De Kock’s incredible journey in this World Cup began with a sensational hundred, scoring 100 runs off 84 balls, against Sri Lanka in Delhi. Quinton de Kock becomes the second South African batter to hit two consecutive ODI World Cup hundreds.
De Kock didn’t stop there; he continued to replicate his heroics in the match against Australia, where he scored a brilliant 109 runs off 106 balls. This century marked a significant milestone for De Kock, as it made him only the second South African batsman after AB de Villiers to achieve the feat of hitting two consecutive centuries in ODI World Cup matches. AB de Villiers accomplished this remarkable feat in the 2011 edition of the tournament.
De Kock also became the wicketkeeper with the second-most joint ODI World Cup hundreds. Together with Brendon Taylor (2) and AB de Villiers (2), he has two hundreds from the tournament. With five ODI World Cup hundreds as a wicket-keeper batsman, Kumar Sangakkara tops the list.
