South Africa registered a huge 134-run win against Australia in the 10th match of the ICC World Cup 2023 on Thursday, October 12. Quinton de Kock smashed a brilliant century to help his team post a big total of 311/7 while batting first and then star pacer Kagiso Rabada took three wickets to bowl out five-time champions on just 177 runs.
Australia's poor form in ODIs continued as they recorded back-to-back defeats in the 2023 World Cup while the Proteas recorded another huge statement win in their bid for the maiden title. Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bowl first at Lucknow's Ekana Cricket Stadium. Pace all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and Josh Inglis came into their playing eleven in the place of Cameron Green and Alex Carey while the Proteas made one change with Tabraiz Shamsi replacing pacer Gerald Coetzee.
Quinton de Kock and captain Temba Bavuma added 108 runs for the opening wicket to provide a perfect star for South Africa. Bavuma missed his fifty but de Kock went on to become the only 15th cricketer to record two consecutive hundreds in the ODI World Cup history. The wicketkeeper batter top-scored with 109 runs off 106 balls while Aiden Markram smashed 56 runs off 44 balls to boost South Africa to another big total.
Australia also struggled while batting as South African pacers dominated the early stages. Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi shone with economical spells in the powerplay overs while Rabada made a big impact with three valuable wickets. Marnus Labuschagne and Mitchell Starc tried to fight back with a 69-run stand for the seventh wicket but South African spinners Keshav Maharaj and Shamsi made a late impact to bowled out Australia on just 177 runs in 40.5 overs.
A 134-run defeat also brought Australia their biggest loss in World Cup history by the margin of runs and this was the first time the five-time champions lost four consecutive games in the 50-over ICC event.
South Africa Playing XI: Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi
Australia Playing XI: David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
