In Pune, South Africa meticulously followed their batting strategy, preserving their wickets for the majority of the innings before launching an aggressive assault in the final third of the 50 overs, resulting in a formidable total of 357 as their innings came to a close.
The South African team had two centurions to celebrate on that day, as Quinton de Kock notched his fourth World Cup century with a brisk 114 off just as many deliveries, while Rassie van der Dussen blazed his way to 133 runs from 118 balls.
However, Rassie faced challenges at various stages during his time at the crease, relying on some luck to boost his efforts. The most notable instance occurred on the second-to-last ball of the 44th over, with Jimmy Neesham delivering the ball to the 34-year-old batsman.
The all-rounder bowled a straight, length delivery, enticing Rassie to strike the ball and send it soaring over his opponent’s head. Regrettably, Rassie didn’t make as clean a connection as he had hoped, and it seemed as if the ball might bounce within the playing surface.
Trent Boult, fielding at long-off, dashed to his right to position himself under the Kookaburra. He reached the ball just in time, attempting to secure it within his grasp, but much to his dismay, not only did the white ball slip through his fingers, but it also sailed over the boundary ropes for a maximum.
The disappointment was evident on Neesham’s face, particularly because Boult had already missed a challenging opportunity earlier in the innings when Rassie was in his 70s. In contrast, Rassie couldn’t help but break into a sheepish grin, much to the amusement of the cricketing community on Twitter.