ODI World Cup 2023: Highest totals by teams so far

The surge in T20 cricket's popularity has given rise to lucrative franchise leagues like the IPL and international 20-over world championships. Despite the global appeal of the shortest format, the ODI World Cup trophy remains the most coveted limited-overs prize for many cricket fans. This preference could be attributed to the fact that the 50-over World Cup is held less frequently than the T20 World Cup, with the latter occurring every two years. Additionally, the ODI World Cup's long history and tradition, held every four years since its inception in 1975, have helped it maintain its prestigious status as a crucial event on the international cricket calendar.

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But in this edition of the ODI World Cup 2023, there have been occasions where the South African team have been brilliant with the bat. The South African team have won four games out of five games they played so far. Let us look at the top three scores in this edition of World Cup 2023;

382/5 – South Africa vs Bangladesh at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

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In the 23rd match of the ODI World Cup 2023 at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, South Africa won the toss and chose to bat but faced early setbacks, losing Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen quickly. However, a crucial 131-run partnership between Quinton De Kock and Aiden Markram for the third wicket provided a significant boost.

South Africa maintained aggressive scoring, amassing a formidable total of 382, with de Kock scoring 174 and Heinrich Klaasen contributing 90. Despite their efforts, Bangladesh struggled to contain the South African batsmen. Hasan Mahmud took two wickets, and South Africa set a challenging target. South Africa's batting dominance continued with another 300-plus total after scoring 399 in their previous match at the same venue, defeating the defending champions by 227 runs.

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399/5 – South Africa vs England at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

South Africa's appearance on this list marks the fourth entry and the second from the 2023 World Cup. Heinrich Klaasen emerged as the top scorer with a blistering 109 off 67 balls, while he and Marco Jansen orchestrated a remarkable sixth-wicket partnership of 150 runs in just 76 deliveries, propelling South Africa to a colossal total of 399/7.

 Jansen concluded with an unbeaten 75 from 42 balls as South Africa piled on the runs during the first innings in the scorching Mumbai heat. Both teams entered this match after surprising losses, with South Africa falling to the non-Test nation the Netherlands and England, the reigning champions, suffering defeat at the hands of Afghanistan. In response to the daunting target of 400, England managed to muster only 170 runs.

428/5 – South Africa vs Sri Lanka at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

The 2023 World Cup had just begun, but South Africa swiftly made a monumental impact by breaking the ODI World Cup record. Opting to bat against Sri Lanka, South Africa unleashed a remarkable offensive with three of their players achieving centuries: Quinton de Kock (100 off 84), Rassie van der Dussen (108 off 110), and Aiden Markram (106 off 54). 

This trio spearheaded South Africa to establish a record-breaking team total of 428/5, marking the highest ever in World Cup history. Notably, Aiden Markram secured the fastest century in the tournament's history, surpassing Kevin O'Brien's 51-ball century against England in 2011.