AUS vs SA Review: Proteas hand Aussies their heaviest World Cup defeat

South Africa faced Australia in the 10th match of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 and emerged victorious by an emphatic margin of 134 runs. Batting first, South Africa managed to put up a formidable 311 against the Aussies on a difficult batting track, thanks to Quinton de Kock’s stellar performance. De Kock’s second successive World Cup century was a game-changer as he shepherded the South African innings sensationally.

Aiden Markram, too, played a significant role with a fluent half-century on a pitch that posed difficulties for run-scoring, especially when the pace was taken off the ball. South Africa initially seemed on track for a 330-plus score, but Australia fought back in the death overs to limit the run flow with South Africa losing four wickets for 48 runs in a mini-collapse at the death.

Glenn Maxwell emerged as Australia’s standout bowler, capitalizing on the pitch’s conditions. De Kock and Markram displayed resilience, though maintaining a high scoring rate became challenging as the ball lost its hardness. Markram’s composure in the middle overs was noteworthy.

Chasing the target, the Australian team were never in the match and kept on losing wickets at regular intervals. None of their batters could face the fiery Proteas bowling, led by Kagiso Rabada who took three wickets. Marnus Labuschagne showed some resilience with 46 runs but in the end, South Africa won the game quite comfortably.

Top Performers of the Match

Quinton de Kock (109 of 106)

Quinton de Kock was the star performer for South Africa in the match. Playing his last World Cup, de Kock displayed his excellent form and dominated the Australian bowling lineup. He scored an impressive 109 runs off just 106 balls, hitting eight fours and five sixes, making him the standout batter of the match.

Kagiso Rabada (3/33, 8 overs)

Kagiso Rabada proved to be the best bowler of the match. The South African bowler showcased his skills and dismantled the Australian batting lineup. Rabada was almost unplayable on a supportive surface, and the Australian batters struggled to find an answer to his fiery bowling spell. He took three wickets in his eight overs, finishing with figures of 3/33.

What next?

Going ahead, Australia will play against Sri Lanka on October 16. While South Africa will take on Netherlands on October 17.