South Africa hit third highest ODI total to win India series

October 26, 2015 in Sports

South Africa-1South Africa posted the joint-third highest total in one-day international history as they beat India by 214 runs in Mumbai to win the series 3-2.

Quinton de Kock (109), Faf du Plessis (133) and skipper AB de Villiers (119) all hit centuries in their 438-4.

Only once before has a team made three centuries in an ODI, also South Africa against West Indies in January.

India were all out for 224 in the 36th over, their second heaviest ODI defeat in terms of runs.

Highest one-day international totals
443-9 (50 overs): Sri Lanka v Netherlands, Amstelveen, 2006
439-2 (50 overs): South Africa v West Indies, Johannesburg, 2015
438-9 (49.5 overs): South Africa v Australia, Johannesburg, 2006
438-4 (50 overs): South Africa v India, Mumbai, 2015
434-4 (50 overs): Australia v South Africa, Johannesburg, 2006

South Africa opted to bat at a sweltering Wankhede Stadium and made full use of the wicket, with 38 fours and 20 sixes recorded.

De Kock notched his eighth one-day century and his second of the series off 87 balls.

Du Plessis, who was dropped on 45 and 85, hit six sixes and nine fours, even finding the rope while hobbling on one leg because of cramp, which eventually forced him to retire hurt.

De Villiers reached his century, his 23rd in the ODI format, in just 57 balls and cleared the boundary ropes with ease, hammering 11 sixes.

The South Africa captain, who holds the record for the fastest ODI century – 31 balls – now has seven hundreds scored in 75 balls or fewer.

India seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned figures of 1-106 in his 10 overs, the second most expensive in ODIs behind Australian Mick Lewis’s 0-113 against South Africa in 2006.

Ajinkya Rahane struck three sixes in his 87 from 58 balls but he departed in the 27th over, the fifth India wicket to fall, as the innings quickly subsided.