South Africa Shatters Records: How They Broke England’s World Cup Six-Hitting Record in ODI World Cup 2023

Many Cricket experts called them the dark horse of this World Cup. They are completely smashing records in this tournament with a stunning display of power-hitting. South Africa before the ODI World Cup was rhythmless and now in the tournament they just reinvented their charm in their batting consistency except for chasing runs. So far they have broken multiple records in this World Cup and England’s six-hitting records are broken too. Here’s a closer look at how South Africa’s cricket team redefined ODI World Cup statistics.

One of the standout achievements for South Africa in this World Cup was their remarkable ability to clear the boundary. They hit a staggering 82 sixes in just seven matches, breaking England’s previous record of 76 sixes in 11 matches in the 2019 World Cup. 

South Africa’s success wasn’t just limited to the World Cup; they maintained an astonishing six-hitting rate throughout the year. With 194 sixes in 19 ODIs in 2023, they averaged 10.2 sixes per match, the highest rate for any team in a year (minimum 100 sixes). This feat was second only to West Indies’ 209 sixes in 2019, who played 28 matches compared to South Africa’s 19.

South Africa also showcased remarkable consistency in scoring 300-plus totals while batting first in ODIs. They achieved this feat for an impressive eight consecutive times during the World Cup, surpassing the previous record of seven held by Australia in 2007 and England in 2019. This run of high scores firmly established their dominance in this format.

A significant factor in South Africa’s success was the stellar performance of their star batsman, Quinton de Kock. De Kock recorded four centuries during the tournament, making him only the third batter to achieve this feat in an ODI World Cup, following Kumar Sangakkara in 2015 and Rohit Sharma in 2019. His tally of 545 runs made him the first South African batter to score 500-plus runs in a Men’s ODI World Cup, surpassing Jacques Kallis’ previous record of 485 in 2007.

De Kock wasn’t the only one rewriting the record books. He, along with Rassie van der Dussen, formed two double-century partnerships during the tournament. This achievement made them the second pair in Men’s ODI World Cup history to have two 200-plus run partnerships, a distinction previously held only by Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga.

South Africa’s batters collectively made eight centuries during the World Cup. Apart from De Kock, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, and Rassie van der Dussen also contributed to this incredible feat. This total of eight centuries equaled the record set by Sri Lanka in the 2015 World Cup, making them the joint highest in Men’s ODI World Cup history.

In their match against New Zealand, South Africa achieved a historic victory by a margin of 190 runs. This win marked the end of a long losing streak, as the last instance of South Africa winning a World Cup game against New Zealand dated back to 1999. The victory was also notable as it was the second-largest margin of defeat for New Zealand in World Cup history.