MUMBAI – Heinrich Klaasen’s 61-ball century, adopted by a mixed bowling effort led South Africa to a thumping 229-run victory over defending champions England within the 20th match of the ICC World Cup 2023.
Set to chase 400, England might solely elevate 170 earlier than bundling out in 22 overs and thus succumbed to one of many greatest defeats within the historical past of the World Cups. The defending champions, after having a dismal begin, misplaced wickets at an alarming charge and had been lowered to 84/7 in 15.1 overs.
England additional slipped to 100/eight within the subsequent over when bowling all-rounder David Willey fell for a run-a-ball 12. When it appeared throughout for England, their tailenders Mark Wooden and Intestine Atkinson retaliated with a sensational 70-run partnership earlier than Keshav Maharaj castled the latter to register South Africa’s dominating victory. Atkinson scored 35 off 21 balls whereas Mark Wooden made unbeaten 43 off 17 balls,
Put into bat first, the South African batters made England Jos Buttler pay as they registered a frightening complete on the board with Heinrich Klaasen main the cost courtesy of a quickfire century on the againfinish. The Proteas, nonetheless, had a contrasting begin as their in-form Quinton de Kock (4) fell on the second supply of the innings.
Opening batter Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen each scored half-centuries after an early blow as they racked up 121 runs at a brisk tempo for the second wicket. The duo put South Africa in command earlier than each fell victim to Adil Rashid in fast succession because the Proteas slipped to 164/2 in 25.2 overs.
Van der Dussen scored 60 in 61 deliveries, hitting eight fours whereas Hendricks fell shy of his second ODI century, scoring a 75-ball 85, laced up with 9 fours and three sixes. Popping out to bat at No. 5, Klaasen joined skipper Aiden Markram and stitched an vital 69-run partnership earlier than the latter fell.
South Africa then sustained one other blow to their innings as David Miller (5) fell low costly, inflicting the facet to slide to 243/5 in 36.three overs. Following the hunch, Klaasen launched a counterattack on the English bowlers with a quickfire century and was brilliantly supported by Marco Jansen. The pair went exhausting on the bowlers to register a match-defining 151-run halfnership off simply 76 balls earlier than Klaasen lastly perished within the closing over. Klaasen top-scored with 109 in 67 balls, smashing 12 boundaries and 4 sixes.
In the meantime, Jansen carried his bat right through to attain an unbeaten 75, conceding simply 42 balls and smashed three boundaries and 6 sixes. Reece Topley picked up three wickets for England whereas Intestine Atkinson and Adil Rashid bagged two every.