‘Shero ki tarah ladke Lankans’ – Fans react as South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 102 runs in ODI World Cup 2023

In the fourth game of the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023, South Africa and Sri Lanka played each other in Delhi. Both teams opened their tournament campaign. Meanwhile, the Lankan Lions won the toss and elected to bowl first. Dilshan Madushanka took the wicket of skipper Temba Bavuma (8) in the second over of the game. However, after this, the former champions were made to relook at their decision.

At 10/1, the likes of Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen kept punishing the bowlers. They managed to keep the run rate between five and six. The former got to his 18th ODI hundred first up in just 83 balls including 12 fours and three sixes. Right after getting his hundred, De Kock was caught by Dhanajaya de Silva off Matheesha Pathirana. Before this, De Kock and Dussen put together 204 runs in just 29 overs.

Van Der Dussen (108) was the second player to get his hundred. Just like De Kock, Dussen got out after getting his hundred. After both of them, Aiden Markram scored a 49-ball hundred, the fastest in the ODI WCs. On the other hand, David Miller (39) and Heinrich Klassen (32) played cameos and helped the team reach 428/5, the highest team total in World Cup history.

South Africa made to work hard for their victory

In reply, the 1996 winners lost the wicket of Pathum Nissanka in the first over. However, Kusal Mendis, who came in after this wicket, was given out. Thanks to the DRS, Mendis survived and what followed was an onslaught. The right-hander scored 76 off 42 balls including four fours and eight sixes.

After his wicket, the team was reduced to 150/5. At this stage, the likes of skipper Dasun Shanaka and Charitha Asalanka put together 82 runs with both players scoring a half-century. After their wickets, Kasun Rajitha and Matheesha Pathirana helped the team reach 326 all-out. Thanks to their fightback, they managed to lose the game only by 102 runs, given how behind they were in the game.

This is how Twitter reacted