Stats: Hashim Amla becomes the quickest to 25 ODI centuries

Hashim Amla’s century and a Man of the Match performance from Imran Tahir helped South Africa get off to a winning start in the first game of group B in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017.

After losing the toss and being asked to bat, South Africa got off to a circumspect start. Despite losing Quinton de Kock early, Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis set the platform with a century partnership for the second wicket. Some late cameos from JP Duminy and Chris Morris helped them set a target of 300.

In response, both Sri Lankan openers got starts but they couldn’t quite capitalise and after two wickets fell in Imran Tahir’s first over, SL never quite recovered and they were eventually bowled out for 203, losing by 96 runs despite a disciplined bowling performance.

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Here are some interesting statistical highlights from the game:

0 – No cricketer has got to the milestone of 25 ODI centuries quicker than Hashim Amla. The Proteas batsman got there in just 151 innings, beating Virat Kohli's mark of 162.

1 – Sri Lanka’s 96-run defeat is their biggest in the history of the Champions Trophy. Their previous biggest defeat (92) also came at the hands of the Proteas, but in the inaugural edition of the tournament.

2 – There have only been two bigger partnerships for South Africa in the Champions Trophy than Amla and du Plessis’ 145-run partnership for the second wicket. The biggest is the unbeaten 178 run stand between Gibbs and Kallis against India in 2002.

3 – Amla took 15 innings to score five ODI centuries against Sri Lanka, which is the third-fastest by any player to score five ODI tons against any country.

4 – Amla became only the fourth player to score 25 centuries in both Tests and ODIs. Only Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, and Kumar Sangakkara have achieved this feat before Amla.

8 – This was Imran Tahir’s eighth four-wicket haul in ODIs. That is the most by any spinner in ODIs, since his debut.

8 – South Africa have now won eight consecutive ODIs against Sri Lanka.

22 – Lasith Malinga’s tally of 22 Champions Trophy wickets in the most by any bowler among all participating players in this year’s tournament.

23 – Of the 25 ODIs in which Amla has scored a century, South Africa have won 23 of them, losing just two.

61.53 – Hashim Amla’s average in England in ODIs. Among all players who have scored at least 500 runs, he has the third-best ODI average in the country.

145 – The second wicket partnership between Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis is the highest by a South African pair against Sri Lanka in ODIs, beating the previous best of 144 by Amla and Kallis in 2012.

2015 – The last time Lasith Malinga appeared in an ODI before today.