World Cup 2023: Records galore for Markram, South Africa vs SL at Arun Jaitley Stadium

Aiden Markram's explosive innings took center stage at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Saturday, October 7, during the ICC World Cup 2023 clash between South Africa and Sri Lanka. Markram's remarkable performance saw him achieve the fastest century in World Cup history, taking just 49 balls to reach this milestone.

3 things you need to know

• South Africa posted a record total of 428 for the loss of five wickets 
• Markram broke Kevin O'Brien's record in the ODI World Cup
• SA vs SL is the first World Cup match being played in Delhi  

Markram's extraordinary feat shattered the previous record held by Kevin O'Brien of Ireland, who took 50 balls to reach a century during the 2011 edition of the tournament.

Here are the fastest hundreds in the World Cup:

Aiden Markram off 49 balls
Kevin O’Brian off 50 balls
Glenn Maxwell off 51 balls
AB de Villiers off 52 balls
Eoin Morgan off 57 balls
Mathew Hayden off 66 balls
John Davison off 67 balls
Paul Sterling off 70 balls
Kumar Sangakkara off 70 balls
Adam Gilchrist off 72 balls
Kumar Sangakkara off 73 balls
Shaiman Anwar off 79 balls
Brendan Taylor off 79 balls

South Africa, after being sent into bat, enjoyed an exceptional start to their innings, with both opener Quinton de Kock and number three batter Rassie van der Dussen also scoring centuries. This achievement allowed South Africa to equal their own record for the most centuries by a team in a single innings, which they had previously accomplished twice in 2015. Remarkably, England are the only other team to have achieved this feat in World Cup history.

In addition to Markram's record-breaking century, South Africa's batting performance in their 2023 World Cup opener against Sri Lanka was nothing short of sensational. They amassed a colossal total of 428 for five, breaking Australia's record from the 2015 World Cup. This also marked the first instance in World Cup history where three different batters from the same team scored centuries in a single innings.

The 13th edition of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is currently underway in India, running from October 5 to November 19, with the final scheduled to be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. This tournament has already witnessed some extraordinary batting performances, with South Africa's recent achievements setting a new standard for excellence in one-day international cricket.