Proteas batsman David Miller
Another match, another easy win for one opponent over another at the Cricket World Cup.
A record-breaking partnership of 256 between David Miller and JP Duminy led South Africa to a 62-run win over Zimbabwe on Sunday.
The Proteas scored 339-4, led by Miller’s fast-paced innings of 138 off 92 balls, which included 30 runs off one over and a World Cup record nine sixes. Duminy added an unbeaten 115. On the opening day Saturday, four-time champions Australia beat England by 111 runs and co-hosts New Zealand defeated 1996 champions Sri Lanka by 98 runs.
Zimbabwe began its chase well in Hamilton but was all out for 277. Hamilton Masakadza scored 80 and combined with Chamu Chibhabha (64) in a 105-run stand to give Zimbabwe a chance, before South Africa spinner Imran Tahir (3-36) stifled the run chase.
In the most anticipated match Sunday, India were playing rival Pakistan at the sold-out Adelaide Oval.
India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss with some positive history in his corner – defending champions India have won all five times the two teams have met in the World Cup back to 1992, and won the toss on four of those previous occasions.
Virat Kohli helped move India on their way toward a sixth win, producing a big innings when it really counted to score 107 and guide India to 300-7 ahead of Pakistan’s reply later on Sunday.
In the only match on Monday, the West Indies will play Ireland at Nelson, New Zealand.
Captain William Porterfield has played in all three of Ireland’s World Cup campaigns and says that no one is likely to underestimate its ability to beat top eight teams.
The left-handed batsman was a member of Ireland teams that beat fourth-ranked Pakistan at the 2007 World Cup and England at the 2011 tournament and he says if Ireland were to beat the West Indies, “I don’t think it will be a surprise. We’ve played enough cricket. There are not many teams that won’t know much about the 15 lads who are in our squad.”
Ireland beat Bangladesh in its final warmup match in Sydney while the West Indies lineup was fully stretched to beat Scotland by three runs. The six-week tournament features 42 pool matches which will reduce the event from 14 teams to eight, then just seven more games which will whittle those eight teams to two for the March 29 final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. – Sapa-AP