South Africa started their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 journey on Saturday (October 7) in a memorable way. While the Proteas team had some top World Cup records, Aiden Markram recorded the fastest World Cup century.
It was the fourth game of the tournament, where South Africa and Sri Lanka started their campaign at Delhi. After Sri Lanka sent the Proteas to bat first, South Africa scored the record World Cup total of 428/5 in 50 overs. In reply, Sri Lanka were all out for 326 runs in 44.5 overs as the Proteas won by 101 runs.
In the first innings, three out of the top four batters smashed powerful centuries. While the opener and wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock scored 100 runs in 84 balls (12 fours and 3 sixes), Rassie van der Dussen scored 108 runs in 110 balls (13 fours and 2 sixes), and Aiden Markram scored 106 runs in just 54 balls (14 fours and 3 sixes).
Aiden Markram recorded a 49-ball century – the fastest World Cup hundred
The no.4 batter Aiden Markram completed 50 runs in 34 balls and hit the hundred in 49 balls. With that century, Markram set a new fastest World Cup hundred record. The previous record was a 50-ball hundred by Irish batter Kevin O’Brien against England at Bengaluru on March 2, 2011.
Here are some crucial stats of Aiden Markram’s memorable century against Sri Lanka in their CWC 2023 opener.
Markram recorded the fastest century in ODI World Cup history. (List 1)
Markram also set up the third-fastest ODI century by a South African batter. (List 2)
Markram also recorded the 12th fastest ODI century.
Top 5 fastest World Cup centuries (List 1)
Player (Team) | Balls faced to complete 100 runs | Opposition | Venue | Date |
Aiden Markram (South Africa) | 49 | Sri Lanka | Delhi | October 7, 2023 |
Kevin O’Brien (Ireland) | 50 | England | Bengaluru | March 2, 2011 |
Glenn Maxwell (Australia) | 51 | Sri Lanka | Sydney | March 8, 2015 |
AB de Villiers (South Africa) | 52 | West Indies | Sydney | February 27, 2015 |
Eoin Morgan (England) | 57 | Afghanistan | Manchester | June 18, 2019 |
(Updated till October 7, 2023)
Top 5 fastest ODI centuries by the South African batters (List 2)
Player | Balls faced to complete 100 runs | Opposition | Venue | Date |
AB de Villiers | 31 | West Indies | Johannesburg | January 18, 2015 |
Mark Boucher | 44 | Zimbabwe | Potchefstroom | September 20, 2006 |
Aiden Markram | 49 | Sri Lanka | Delhi | October 7, 2023 |
AB de Villiers | 52 | West Indies | Sydney | February 27, 2015 |
Heinrich Klaasen | 54 | West Indies | Potchefstroom | March 21, 2023 |
(Updated till October 7, 2023)
Must Read | Highest Totals in ODI World Cup history
