Summary

  • Mendis (76), Asalanka (79) & Shanaka (68) hit defiant, rapid fifties

  • But Sri Lanka are eventually bowled out for 326 to lose by 102 runs

  • South Africa post 428-5 - highest total in World Cup history

  • Markram smacks century off 49 balls - fastest in Men's World Cups - before falling for 106

  • Van der Dussen and De Kock also hit sublime centuries

  1. Goodbyepublished at 18:16 British Summer Time 7 October 2023

    That's us for now, on a record breaking day at this World Cup.

    Take a read of Matt Henry's report from Delhi.

    Then join us for a fantastic match tomorrow as hosts India open their tournament against Australia. That's a 09:30 BST start.

    Have a good evening.

  2. Postpublished at 18:14 British Summer Time 7 October 2023

    Kusal Mendis started Sri Lanka's innings off with a bang, briefly inviting speculation that Markram's record could be held for a little over an hour.

    Coming in after a wicket in the second over, he struck 76 from 42 balls before falling to the bowling of Kagiso Rabada.

    Charith Asalanka also delivered an impressive innings in the middle-order, scoring 79 and putting on an 82 run partnership with captain Dasun Shanaka.

  3. Postpublished at 18:12 British Summer Time 7 October 2023

    There were three fantastic centuries in the South African innings as Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram took apart the Sri Lankan bowling.

    Markram was the star of the show though, his 49-ball century beating Kevin O'Brien's record for fastest World Cup century by one ball.

  4. Postpublished at 18:12 British Summer Time 7 October 2023

    Steven Finn
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    You look at South Africa's team - the bowlers and batters. They have the bowlers who can take 10 wickets, and the batting line-up is powerful and consistent. But when it comes to those pressure moments, you have to hold those massive moments in the field too. There will not be concerned about how they went about it in the field today. They could afford to drop a few catches, but you don't want to let it slip into your game as the tournament goes on.

  5. Postpublished at 18:09 British Summer Time 7 October 2023

    South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma: "Happy for us. We wanted to win the game and that's what we did. I can't find fault with the batting. We were not quite clinical with the ball but we will take that confidence into the next game.

    "I think batting under lights did seem a bit better. The ball came on to the bat a better, using the pace to find the boundary. I think it's about adjusting to the conditions. We felt it might more be variable under the lights and swing more. It didn't as much and we didn't adjust. That's the learning we can take. Maybe we can go to our spin options earlier to add variety."

  6. Postpublished at 18:07 British Summer Time 7 October 2023

    Steven Finn
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    The only thing that concerns me about South Africa is how much you are relying on their top six. Once you get through them you are into the bowlers if you take early wickets.

  7. Postpublished at 18:06 British Summer Time 7 October 2023

    Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka: "To be honest I expected a high scoring game today. I think the execution was not there, we were missing the right length. On these kind of wickets that's very tough. When we play again we need that right execution.

    "From a team like South Africa, we expected 350 anyway in these conditions. If we'd managed to keep them to 370 it's manageable, we had the momentum especially the way that Mendis and Asalanka played. But their total was a little too much for us.

    "It's a very tough missing those three bowlers, Hasaranga, Chameera and Theekshana. But that's part of the game, we have to move on."

  8. Postpublished at 17:58 British Summer Time 7 October 2023

    Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    When you've got such a mammoth total it can be so hard to get yourself going for the second innings. There was sloppy fielding, miscommunication - but I'm going to cut South Africa some slack.

  9. Postpublished at 17:58 British Summer Time 7 October 2023

    Steven Finn
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    Sri Lanka made a fist of it. What impressed me is they never really gave up after losing a couple of wickets. They showed spirit and fight.

  10. Postpublished at 17:58 British Summer Time 7 October 2023

    Player of the match Aiden Markram, on becoming the fastest World Cup centurion: "It obviously feels fantastic. The platform was laid beautifully for the middle order batters by Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen which allowed us to go out and play naturally. I am pretty clear with what is expected of me. Assess the situation and play accordingly. Sometimes it works well and sometimes it does not."

    "It's a strange one because you want to get a feel for the wicket. Ultimately it's about backing your options rather than trying something not in your repertoire. The wicket played really well and the ball was travelling. It feels great to be on the positive side of things as a team. We are really happy."

  11. Postpublished at 17:52 British Summer Time 7 October 2023

    Steven Finn
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    South Africa played the perfect blueprint for the way they set it up with six batters and five bowlers. Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen laid the foundation before Aiden Markram kicked on. As soon as Kusal Mendis was out, the lights went out on Sri Lanka's chase.

  12. Postpublished at 17:52 British Summer Time 7 October 2023

    Daniel Norcross
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    In truth South Africa's batting was too strong and Sri Lanka's bowling too weak. We have seen Sri Lanka have something within them with the bat, but they need to do a little more with the ball.

  13. wicket

    South Africa win by 102 runspublished at 44.4 overs

    Match over!

    Kagiso Rabada delivers four dot balls on the trot before splaying the stumps of Matheesha Pathirana, the tailender trying to take a big heave and getting nowhere near the ball.

    A World Cup record of 754 runs in the match, to sit alongside the highest tournament innings with South Africa's 428 and Aiden Markram firing the fastest World Cup century off 49 balls.

  14. Postpublished at 17:47 British Summer Time 7 October 2023

    Steven Finn
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    It's a concern for me as a bowler, and someone who likes to see an even contest, the ease with which batters have found the boundary both in the air and along the ground. It's still early in the tournament, though.

  15. SL 326-9published at 44 overs

    Dilshan Madushanka is the last man in and he gets a four from his second ball, an edge looping over backward point.

    Coetzee now has figures of 3-68 from nine overs, 23 of those runs coming from his seventh over when he was punished by Shanaka.

  16. Postpublished at 17:45 British Summer Time 7 October 2023

    Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    Kasun Rajitha has actually batted really nicely and helped Sri Lanka up to a good total on this record-breaking day.

  17. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 43.3 overs

    Rajitha c Markram b Coetzee 33 (SL 322-9)

    Rajitha's cameo is over!

    He scoops Coetzee into the mid-wicket air with a lot of bottom hand and Aiden Markram only has to run a few steps to take the catch.

  18. How's stat?!published at 17:42 British Summer Time 7 October 2023

    Daniel Norcross
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    This match is now the most runs there have ever been in the World Cup match. It eclipses the 714 aggregate total from a match between Australia and Bangladesh at Trent Bridge in the 2019 World Cup.

  19. SL 320-8published at 43 overs

    The rest of the over is quieter, just a leg-side wide before Rajitha takes a single into the covers.

    Jansen finishes with figures of 2-92.

  20. Postpublished at 17:39 British Summer Time 7 October 2023

    Daniel Norcross
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    All these runs are helpful for Sri Lanka because the guys who are down the order will have the muscle memory of hitting a few boundaries. If they had kept South Africa to 375 they would have been in with a shout of winning this.