Amla is all smiles after making his 24th ODI hundred
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock clubbed 154 and 109 respectively as South Africa crushed Sri Lanka by 88 runs in Centurion to claim a 5-0 series win.
In addition to whitewashing Sri Lanka, the Proteas also moved to the top of the ODI rankings, dethroning Australia, who had been at the summit for over 26 months.
Being put in to bat first, South Africa got their innings off to a fantastic start as Amla and De Kock amassed a 187-run partnership, which is the fifth-highest opening stand for South Africa in ODIs on home soil.
De Kock surpassed his hundred during the partnership, while Amla cruised past his fifty, but De Kock’s time at the crease came to an end when he was dismissed by Suranga Lakmal for 109, which came off 87 balls and included 16 boundaries.
De Kock celebrates after scoring his 12th ODI century
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Amla and Faf du Plessis kept the runs flowing with a 63-run stand before Du Plessis fell for a quickfire 41.
Captain AB de Villiers and all-rounder JP Duminy were on their way back to the pavilion shortly after, but Amla and Farhaan Behardien stabilised the innings with a 62-run partnership, during which Amla brought up his 150.
Amla ended up making 154 off 134 balls, which included 15 boundaries and five sixes, before being removed by Lahiru Madushanka.
Behardien went on to make 32 as South Africa finished on 384/6, their highest score against Sri Lanka in ODI history and ninth-highest against any team.
Lakmal was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Madushanka snapped up two and Jeffrey Vandersay chipped in with one.
Chasing 385 to win, Sri Lanka found themselves in trouble early on as stand-in captain Upul Tharanga fell for seven runs before the Proteas continued to keep the tourists on the back foot with wickets at regular intervals.
Having been reduced to 82/5 in the 14th over, Sri Lanka were in desperate need of help, and it was Asela Gunaratne and Sachith Pathirana who came to the rescue as they put together a 93-run partnership, during which Pathirana registered his half-century.
However, Pathirana was unable to build on his strong start as he was sent packing by Chris Morris for 56, which came off 62 deliveries and included six boundaries and a six.
Madushanka and Vandersay were dismissed shortly after, but even though Gunaratne and Lakmal amassed an unbeaten 97-run stand, during which Gunaratne raced past his maiden ODI hundred, it was too little, too late for Sri Lanka as they fell well short of their target.
Gunaratne finished on a career-best 114, which came off 117 balls and included 14 boundaries and two sixes, while Lakmal struck a boundary and a six during his 28-ball 20.
Morris was the most successful bowler with four wickets, while Wayne Parnell took two and Imran Tahir claimed one.
Amla was named Man of the Match, while Du Plessis received the Man of the Series award.