CWC2023 : South Africa outplayed Sri Lanka in a run fest with 3 100s , Bangladesh rout Afghans

South Africa got a resounding  big win in the first match of the World Cup.  They beat Sri Lanka by 102 runs.  Three batsmen Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dusen and Aiden Markram played a big role in South Africa's win.  All three made dazzling hundreds.  Batting first, South Africa scored a massive 428 runs for 5 wickets.  Sri Lanka could not reach the target despite some brave  efforts.  They were all out for 326 runs.

 Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka won the toss and decided to bowl.  South African captain Temba Bavuma got out early lbw to Madhusanka , but Quinton de Kock and Van der Dussen made double century stand for the second wicket.  This is de Kock's last World Cup.  It seems that he is playing with the joy of his heart.  Both the batsmen played aggressive cricket and did not give the Sri Lankan bowlers a chance to settle down.  From pacer to spinner, they did not spare  anyone.  De Kock completed his dazzling  century in just 82 balls with the help of countless classic shots . Some of his driving ,  pulling and flicks off his legs were imperious  .  He got out after reaching 100 runs while hitting a big shot.  Van der Dusen was dismissed for 108 runs after playing another glorious ODI innings thus stamping his consistency. 

 It was Markram who thrived  on the foundation laid by the two batsmen.  Markram first had stands  with Heinrich Klaasen (32) and then David Miller (34*) .  He played aggressive cricket from the first ball.  Markram scored a hundred in just 49 balls.  This is the fastest hundred in World Cup history.  In 2011, Ireland's Kevin O'Brien scored a 50-ball hundred against England on Indian soil.  That was the fastest century so far.  Markram broke that record.  He played a blistering  innings of 106 runs off just  a mere  54 balls. Markram played his shots with brute force but all were delightful cricketing shots.  On this day he completely decimated the Sri Lankan bowling to pile on an electrifying hundred . 

  In the end, South Africa scored 428 runs which was going to be a too big  for Sri Lanka  to chase it down . 

Chasing this run was not easy for Sri Lanka.  They lost the wicket of Pathum Nissanka in the beginning.  Kushal Perera also did not stay long .  Kusal Mendis and Charith Ashalanka fought for Sri Lanka.  Mendis scored a breathtaking 76 off 42 balls as he was striking the ball with great power and finesse hitting 8 sixes in all. Mendis was hoisting the fast  bowlers repeatedly through the square leg area in to the stands .  After Mendis departed , Assalanka scored a glorious 79 runs off 65 balls.  As the target was huge, the Sri Lankan batsmen had no choice but to play big shots and thereby kept losing wickets .    Shanaka later scored 68 runs off 62 balls to get back some form.  

  Among the South African bowlers, Gerald Coetzee took 3 wickets and Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj took 2 wickets each.  Lungi Ngidi took 1 wicket.  In the end, Sri Lanka were all out for 326 runs in 44.5 overs.  They lost the match by 102 runs. Markram was the player of the match for his record breaking century .

Meanwhile the Bengal Tigers defeated Afghanistan in the first match.  Afghanistan is a good team in 50 over format.  Bangladesh defeated that Afghanistan on Saturday.  The Afghans scored 156 runs batting first.  Afghanistan could not bat the entire 50 overs.  They ended in 37.2 overs.  In reply, Bangladesh picked up the required runs to win in 34.4 overs.  Bangladesh won the match with 92 balls left.

 Shakib came down on Saturday.  He took three wickets with the ball.  However, the champion all-rounder could not score more runs with the bat.  Shakib (14) got out just before the end of the match.

 No one except Afghanistan's Rahmatullah Gurbaz scored special runs against Bangladesh.  Gurbaz scored 47 runs off 62 balls.  He made the highest runs.  The rest surrendered before the Bangladeshi bowlers as Afghanistan slumped from 120/2 to 156 all out .  .  Along with Shakib, Mehdi Hasan Miraj also took three wickets.  Mehdi Hasan is also successful with the bat.  He scored a fluent  57 runs to get the player of the match  .  Nazmul Hossain Shanto (59) and Mushfiqur Rahim did the rest.  They gave victory to Bangladesh in the first match of the World Cup.