ICC Champions Trophy 2017: Amazing Amla became the first South African to hit 25 ODI centuries

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LONDON: Star opener Hashim Amla became the first South African and sixth batsman overall to hit 25 or more centuries in ODIs.

According to the news, the 34-year-old Durban-born took 151 innings to score 25 centuries to becomes the quickest to 25 ODI centuries whereas India’s Virat Kohli took 162 innings to get to the milestone.  

Also, the century was special because he made a hundred while observing the Ramadan fast. 

Amla’s 25th century in One-Day International (ODI) cricket propelled South Africa to 299 for six against Sri Lanka in a Group B in the third ICC Champions Trophy 2017 match at Kennington Oval in London on Saturday.

Amla (103) shared a 145- run stand with Faf du Plessis (75) for the second wicket as South Africa recovered from a very slow start after being asked to bat at Kennington Oval.

The foundation of the win was laid by Amla after Sri Lanka won the toss and asked South Africa to bat at Kennington Oval. Amla and fellow opening partner Quinton de Kock (23) struggled for runs initially in the first 10 overs.

The opening partnership lasted for 44 runs in 12.1 overs as left-hander de Kock edged a delivery from medium pacer Nuwan Pradeep to wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella.  Despite losing Quinton de Kock early, Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis build a partnership and they paced the innings well mixing ones and twos with occasional boundaries.

While Amla completed his fifty in 56 deliveries, du Plessis reached the half-century in 52 balls.

Amla, joined in the middle by David Miller (18) as the pair faced the task of restructuring the innings, completed his century in 106 deliveries with a single towards square leg off Lakmal in the third ball of the 42nd over.

The following delivery saw Miller edge one to Prasanna at third man. Amla fell soon, trying to run a second following a throw at the bowler’s end from Kusal Mendis at mid-wicket in the next over. Amla’s knock featured five fours and two sixes.

Brief scores: South Africa 299/6 in 50 overs (Hashim Amla 103, Faf du Plessis 75; Nuwan Padeep 2/54). Sri Lanka: 203 all out in 41.3 overs (Upul Tharanga 57, Kusal Perera 44 not out, Niroshan Dickwella 41; Imran Tahir 4/27. Chris Morris 2/32).

IANS inputs