Run-dezvous at Kotla: South Africa and Sri Lanka plunder 754 runs, hit 74 fours and 31 sixes on a batting beauty

The pre-winter ODI evening had a midsummer IPL-night feel. Perhaps, the batsmen, most of them IPL regulars, too thought as much and tucked in.

It looked like Kotla was an Instagram app, and the sixes and fours were like watching reels, one after another. (PTI)

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After South Africa and Sri Lanka piled on a combined 754 runs on a six-lane expressway of a surface, at a run-rate of nearly 8 runs an over throughout the game, the spectators would have been left wondering whether they were watching a T20 game or an ODI encounter. The boundary count boggles—the stadium witnessed 74 fours and 31 sixes, three South batsmen scored hundreds at breakneck pace. So much so that it looked like Kotla was an Instagram app, and the sixes and fours were like watching reels, one after another.

The pre-winter ODI evening had a midsummer IPL-night feel. Perhaps, the batsmen, most of them IPL regulars, too thought as much and tucked in. Spectators, of course love, boundaries that rolled off every sixth ball of the match. Bowlers could do nothing much, other than curse their wretched luck. Only two maidens were bowlers, one each by Kasun Rajitha and Lungi Ngidi. The most economical bowler was Dasun Shanaka, and he conceded six an over. The surface neither swung nor spun. Hardly any ball misbehaved. It was quick and sufficiently bouncy, but not quick or bouncy enough to trouble batsmen. It was as though the pitch was accidentally prepared for an IPL game.

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It could be the recurring theme in most venues, barring a few. In the opening match New Zealand had effortlessly hunted down England’s 282 in merely 36.2 overs. Despite sloppy batting, Pakistan put on 286 against the Netherlands. The game in Dharmsala apart, this has been a batsmen’s tournament. And it could turn out to be the one for batsmen.

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South Africa’s batsmen accepted the placid surface and the lightning-quick outfield with glee. Quinton de Kock slammed 100 off 84 balls, the silken Aiden Markram blasted 106 off mere 54 balls; by their standards, Rassie van der Dussen registered an exceedingly slow 108 off 110 balls.

Show-stealer Markram

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Markram was the show-stealer. Walking out to bat in the 31st over with South Africa already in a strong position, courtesy a 204-run second-wicket partnership between de Kock (100 off 84 balls) and van der Dussen. Justifying claims that he is the heir apparent to AB de Villiers, AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis, he produced a knock that stood out both power and grace, timing and aggression.

He teed off with a sumptuous drive off Shanaka. One over later, he hit a hat-trick of boundaries off Dilshan Madushanka, two of them were an inch-perfect straight drive. Then, hitting a flat six over the square leg off Madushanaka’s bowling, he completed the fastest century in a World Cup, overtaking Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien (50 balls for 100) in the 2011 edition against England. He saved his best for Matheesha Pathrina, hitting three boundaries and one six in the 43rd over.

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The impetus, though, was set by de Kock and van der Dussen. The former took his time to get the eye in, consuming 62 balls for his 50 runs; the next came in only 21 balls. Van der Dussen played his part to perfection, though in the end, he was dissatisfied that he could not meet his self-imposed target of reaching hundred in 90 balls.

Stoic fight

Facing such a monstrous total, Sri Lanka did not surrender meekly. They produced a fight, and piled the pressure on South Africa’s bowlers. Especially Kusal Mendis, who is undoubtedly his country’s best batsman. Picking lengths early, Mendis smoked eight sixes.

Three were struck in a Lungi Ngidi over, and the crowd perhaps sensed a thrilling chase. It was not to be. Rabada, who Mendis had swatted for two sixes, had the last laugh. Thereafter, the South Africans were in the mood of charity. Charith Asalanka, who scored a strokeful 79, was dropped twice on 44 by van der Dussen and on 52 by substitute Andile Phehlukwayo. Marco Jansen was the unlucky bowler on both occasions. Dasun Shanaka, who in his past 20 innings has crossed double figures only six times, also crunched a fifty to fill the night with more boundaries. In the end, Sri Lanka fell behind.

Pratyush Raj

Pratyush Raj is a sports journalist with The Indian Express Group and specializes in breaking news stories and conducting in-depth investigative reports for the paper. His passion extends to crafting engaging content for the newspaper's website. Pratyush takes a keen interest in writing on cricket and hockey. He started his career with the financial daily Business Standard but soon followed his true calling as Times of India's sports reporter for Punjab in Chandigarh, a job that required extensive travel to states such as Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. He has also contributed to the sports coverage of India Today Group. Pratyush's love for sports blossomed during his upbringing in flood-prone Saharsa, a district in North Bihar, where 'Cricket Samrat' was his cherished companion. ... Read More