England avoided a whitewash with the biggest win in ODI history, crushing South Africa by 342 runs.
Centuries from Jacob Bethell and Joe Root, along with explosive batting from Jamie Smith and Jos Buttler, powered England to a massive total. Later, Jofra Archer and Adil Rashid dismantled South Africa’s batting, skittling them for just 72 runs.
In the third and final ODI on Sunday, England won by 342 runs, surpassing India’s previous record of a 317-run victory against Sri Lanka in 2023. This also became England’s biggest ODI win, beating their 242-run victory over Australia in 2018. For South Africa, it was their second heaviest ODI defeat this year after losing to Australia by 276 runs last month.
Bethell shone with his maiden professional century, smashing 110 runs off 82 balls with 13 fours and 3 sixes. Root was equally impressive, scoring 100 off 96 balls for his 19th ODI ton. The duo added a stunning 182-run partnership, England’s highest-ever for the third wicket against South Africa.
Jos Buttler provided the finishing touches with a rapid 62 off 32 balls, while Jamie Smith added a brisk 62 at the top. England posted a mammoth 414/5 in 50 overs.
Chasing 415, South Africa collapsed spectacularly. Archer was unplayable, taking 4 wickets for just 9 runs in 6 overs, while Rashid grabbed 3 for 13. No South African batter managed to cross 20 runs, as they were bundled out in 20.5 overs.
Match Summary
- England: 414/5 (Bethell 110, Root 100, Smith 62, Buttler 62)
- South Africa: 72 all out (Archer 4/9, Rashid 3/13)
Result: England won by 342 runs
Series: South Africa win 2-1
Player of the Match: Jofra Archer
Players of the Series: Keshav Maharaj & Joe Root
This emphatic win not only helped England avoid a whitewash but also etched their name into the record books with the largest margin of victory in ODI history.
