Regarding cricket world cups, a team we all feel bad for is South Africa. Even after giving all they had during the league stages, they somehow managed to choke in knockout matches, be it the 2015 world cup semi-final misfields or the infamous 1992 rain incident. Today we’ll look at some of the best innings played by South Africans in ODI World Cup history. Some of these innings ended on the losing side but were good enough to make it into the list.
1. Faf du Plessis (2019)
The last league match of the 2019 World Cup was set to be played between Australia and South Africa. Both had a very contrasting campaign as Australia were table toppers then and South Africa were eliminated. Faf Du Plessis and Rassie Van der Dussen, stitched a 151-run partnership for 3rd wicket. Then South African Captain Du Plessis scored a blistering 100(94), helping them post 325/6 and winning the match by 10 runs.
2. Faf du Plessis (2015)
The best South African squad to play in the world cup remains the 2015 squad. All of their batters scoring runs was a treat to the eyes. In their league match against Ireland, Faf produced another masterclass with 109(109) helping them post a humongous 411/4.
3. Hashim Amla (2015)
One of the most underrated cricketers to play for South Africa must be Hashim Amla, who consistently scored massive amounts of runs for the Team. Another incident can be his stylish knock of 159(128) against Ireland. Amla and Faf scored centuries and helped them post 411/4 and eventually win the match by 201 runs.
4. AB de Villiers (2011)
The first innings of AB De Villiers on this list came against the Netherlands during the league stages of the 2011 world cup. South Africa didn’t have the kind of campaign they hoped for, their were plenty of positives, mainly how AB played that year. He scored a strokeful 134(98) against the Netherlands bowlers helping South Africa to win by 231 runs.
5. David Miller (2015)
David Miller’s heroics in the 2015 world cup semi-final remain on of the best under-pressure power hitting from a middle-order batsman. In the rain-affected game South Africa batted for 43 overs and posted 281/5. Miller went on to score 49(18), hitting 6 fours and three massive sixes his effort proved not to be enough and they lost the match on the penultimate ball.
6. AC Hudson (1996)
AC Hudson, during the 1996 World Cup in Pakistan, produced a marvelous inning scoring 161 runs off just 132 balls against the Netherlands. This inning came at Rawalpindi , paradise for batters but such a display of batting is not to be expected every day.
7. Jacques Kallis (2007)
One of the greatest all-rounders of all time Jacques Kallis, delivered it for South Africa, with the bat or ball. In the 2007 World Cup, he played a brilliant innings of 128*(109) against the Netherlands at Basseterre, taking them over the line.
8. David Miller (2015)
Another inning by David Miller in the 2015 World Cup featured in the list, this knock came against Zimbabwe in the league stages. Miller went on to score 138*(92), leading the charge with JP Duminy, who scored a century too. They posted 339/4, which proved to be too much for Zimbabwe to chase.
9. AB de Villiers (2011)
In the match between West Indies and South Africa during the 2011 World Cup, the proteas again came to the top. This time it was another AB special which helped them with the chase. He scored 107(105), helping South Africa to win by 7 wickets chasing 223 in the 43rd over itself.
10. AB de Villiers (2015)
The final innings in this list is AB De Villiers’ record-breaking 162*(66) in the 2015 World Cup against West Indies. Before the match, De Villiers had a fever, but when came to the crease only people sweating were the Caribbean Bowlers as he smashed them all around the park. With this knock, he also made the world record for having the fastest 150 in ODI history. South Africa posted 408/5 and eventually won the match by 257 runs.
