5th ODI Stats: Hashim Amla becomes fastest player to 50 international centuries
On the back of twin centuries from openers Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock, South Africa posted another mammoth total, which proved to be too much for Sri Lanka who lost the game by 88 runs. Victory in the final ODI at Centurion meant the Proteas whitewashed the visitors 5-0 and extended their unbeaten run in home ODIs.
SA’s openers both scored centuries and put on 187 for the opening wicket and made a mockery of Sri Lanka’s decision to win the toss and elect to field. With a couple of cameos from Faf du Plessis and Farhaan Behardien, South Africa put on 384/6.
In response, Sri Lanka got off to a terrible start as they lost their first four wickets inside nine overs. Niroshan Dickwella got off to a start but even he couldn’t convert as the visitors just lost wickets at regular intervals and despite a valiant maiden ODI century from Asela Gunaratne, they fell well short of the target.
Extra Cover: Quinton De Kock becomes fastest wicket-keeper to reach 3000 ODI runs
Here are some interesting statistical highlights from the final match of the ODI series between South Africa and Sri Lanka:
348 – The number of innings it took for Hashim Amla to reach 50 international centuries, he was the quickest to the seven players to have reached that milestone.
0 – No South African player has scored more ODI tons than Hashim Amla. He has now scored 24 ODI centuries, level with AB de Villiers and is now a national record holder for most ODI centuries.
1 – South Africa are now top of the list of teams with most 350+ ODI totals. The Proteas have 24 such scores, India are second on the list with 23.
2 – Amla has now scored 12 ODI centuries at home, level with Virat Kohli in third place. Only two players, Sachin Tendulkar (20) and Ricky Ponting (13) have more home ODI centuries than the South African batsman.
3 – Quinton de Kock is the third-fastest South African batsman to get to 3000 ODI runs. Hashim Amla holds the national and world record, having got there in just 57 innings, while Gary Kirsten, who got there in 72 innings is the only other South African to get to the mark faster than De Kock.
4 – This was Quinton de Kock’s fourth ODI century at the Centurion, which is the most he has at any venue. At no other venue has he scored more than one ODI ton.
5 – Only five players have scored more ODI centuries than Hashim Amla, who has 24.
6 – The 384 South Africa managed against Sri Lanka in the fifth ODI is their sixth-highest ODI total at home.
7 – Hashim Amla became only the seventh player to score 50 international centuries. Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Kumar Sangakkara, Jacques Kallis, Mahela Jayawardene and Brian Lara are the other six to have achieved that feat.
8 – Quinton de Kock is the eighth-fastest to get to 3000 ODI runs, having got there in 74 innings.
9 – South Africa’s tally of 384/6 is their ninth-best ODI total and their best against Sri Lanka.
13 – No side has conceded more 350+ totals in ODIs than Sri Lanka (13), India are second on this list with 11.
14 – South Africa have now won 14 consecutive home ODIs. No side has won more than 12 on the trot but Australia (twice), Sri Lanka (twice), New Zealand and West Indies have all achieved that feat.
74 – The number of ODI innings it has taken Quinton de Kock to reach 12 ODI centuries. He is the fastest to that mark, beating his compatriot Hashim Amla, who took 81 innings.
90 – The previous record for the fastest to 3,000 ODI runs by a wicketkeeper was held by MS Dhoni, who got there in 90 innings. Quinton de Kock now holds the record having got to the mark in just 74.
142 – Hashim Amla took just 142 ODI innings to reach 24 ODI centuries, beating Virat Kohli who previously held the record, having got to the mark in 162 innings.