In the 32nd match of the ICC World Cup, South Africa delivered a dominating performance, crushing New Zealand by a staggering 190-run margin. This resounding victory propelled South Africa to the semifinals, marking their sixth win in the tournament. The match, held in Pune, saw New Zealand winning the toss and electing to field first.
While batting, South Africa posted an imposing total of 357 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in their allotted 50 overs. The stage was set for a formidable chase as New Zealand was tasked with chasing down 358 runs for victory.
However, the Kiwi innings took a swift downturn as they were bundled out for a mere 167 runs in the 36th over. Glenn Phillips was the lone standout, scoring 60 runs. This comprehensive win propelled South Africa to the top of the points table with 12 points, while New Zealand slid to the fourth position with 8 points, having lost three out of seven matches.
The New Zealand batsmen, in their pursuit of South Africa’s imposing target, struggled to hold their ground against a relentless South African bowling attack. Wickets tumbled one after the other, with Glenn Phillips contributing 60 runs, Will Young adding 33, and Daryl Mitchell managing 24. However, no other Kiwi batsman could sustain their presence at the crease.
In their chase, the entire New Zealand team was dismissed for 167 runs in just 35.3 overs. Keshav Maharaj emerged as the star performer for South Africa, delivering a brilliant bowling display that earned him 4 wickets. Marco Johnson chipped in with 3 wickets, while Coetzee and Rabada claimed 2 and 1 wicket(s), respectively.
During an interview on the Dafa News Cricket Show, Zimbabwe national player and coach Tasmin Granger highlighted Quinton de Kock’s remarkable achievement, stating, “De Kock has notched his 21st ODI century, and remarkably, all four of his centuries have come in this World Cup.
He now holds the record for the most centuries by a South African in a single World Cup. De Kock shares second place with Kumar Sangakkara in the list of batsmen with the most World Cup centuries, each having scored four centuries. Rohit Sharma leads the chart with five centuries.” De Kock also etched his name in history as the first South African batsman to surpass 500 runs in a World Cup season. Additionally, Rassie van der Dussen achieved the second fifty of his ODI career during the match.
Remarkably, South Africa smashed 15 sixes throughout their innings against New Zealand, setting a new World Cup record for the most sixes in a single match. South Africa now holds the record for the highest number of sixes in a Men’s World Cup edition, having hit 82 sixes in just seven matches during the current tournament. This impressive feat surpasses the previous record held by England, who hit 76 sixes in the entire 2019 World Cup.