England's Stunning ODI Win by 342 Runs

England delivered a stunning performance against South Africa, winning by a massive 342 runs in the third and final ODI at The Rose Bowl in Southampton. This match marked a significant moment in cricket history, as South Africa faced their worst ODI defeat ever, setting an unwanted record.

Coming into this match, England had lost the first two ODIs and had nothing to lose. They capitalized on the opportunity and took full control of the game. South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and chose to bat first, but they quickly faced a challenging situation.

England's openers, Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett, got off to a brisk start, scoring quickly and putting pressure on the South African bowlers. Smith scored a quick 62 runs, and by the time he was dismissed, England had already crossed the 50-run mark.

The real fireworks came from Joe Root and Jacob Bethell, who put together a remarkable partnership of 182 runs for the third wicket. Bethell scored his maiden ODI century with a blistering 110 runs off just 82 balls, while Root secured his 19th ODI ton. Their aggressive approach allowed England to set a daunting total of 414 runs.

In response, South Africa had a disastrous start. They lost their top four batsmen by the end of the fifth over, quickly falling to 18/5 and then 24/6. Jofra Archer was the star of the bowling attack, picking up four wickets and causing havoc for the South African side.

Although Corbin Bosch and Keshav Maharaj showed some resistance, their efforts were not enough. South Africa ultimately collapsed for just 72 runs, marking their second-lowest total in ODI history. This match not only highlighted England's dominance but also set a new benchmark for ODI victories by margin of runs.

Before this match, India held the record for the biggest win by runs when they defeated Sri Lanka by 317 runs earlier in 2023. Following India, Australia's 309-run win over the Netherlands in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 is also a notable mention in the list of largest ODI wins.