South Africa peels Sri Lanka with mammoth 428

New Delhi : Aiden Markram smashed the fastest World Cup century off just 49 balls, while Quinton De Kock and Rassie van der Dussen also made punishing hundreds as South Africa sounded early warning with a mammoth 428/5 against Sri Lanka in their World Cup match on Saturday. De Kock (100 off 84 balls), Dussen (108 off 110 balls) and Markram (106 off 54 balls) went on a rampage to power South Africa past the highest World Cup total ever — Australia's 417/7 against Afghanistan in the 2015 edition.

After De Kock and Van der Dussen set the platform for a massive score with their second-wicket stand with 204 runs, Markram applied a brutal coup de grace to pulverise Sri Lanka. All three South African centurions — De Kock, Van der Dussen and Markram — also recorded their maiden World Cup hundreds. A total of 39 fours and eight sixes came collectively from the Proteas trio.

Heinrich Klaasen hit another three fours and a six for his 20-ball 32 and David Miller clobbered three fours and two sixes for his unbeaten 21-ball 39. Making the most of a favourable pitch against a depleted and erring Sri Lankan bowling line-up, South African batters motored on at a high scoring rate in the middle-overs to wrest control. An early blow was dealt when Dilshan Madushanka pinned Temba Bavuma (8) in front of the wicket, but that was the only moment of joy for the Sri Lankans.