History made by South Africa batter on ODI debut

South Africa’s Matthew Breetzke created history on his ODI debut by scoring a remarkable 150 runs, leading his team to a competitive total of 304 in the second match of the Tri-Nation Series against New Zealand at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Breetzke’s knock not only made him the fourth South African batter to score a century on debut but also saw him become the first player in the world to score the highest-ever 150 runs on ODI debut, surpassing the previous record of 148 runs set by West Indies legend Desmond Haynes in 1978. His stunning innings of 150 runs off 148 balls, which included 11 fours and 5 sixes, made him the 19th player in history to score a century on debut in men's ODIs.

Before Breetzke, South Africa had seen three players achieve the feat of a century on debut: Colin Ingram, Temba Bavuma, and Reeza Hendricks. Other players who have scored debut centuries include Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq and Abid Ali, as well as two players each from England, New Zealand, and the West Indies. Additionally, India, Australia, Hong Kong, Scotland, Thailand, Zimbabwe, and Afghanistan have all had one player each reach this milestone.

Breetzke’s composed and impressive knock set the foundation for South Africa’s innings, where he shared a vital partnership with Jason Smith (41), rotating the strike and ensuring the scoreboard kept ticking. He brought up his century with a fine boundary behind point and accelerated soon after, playing a key role in propelling South Africa past the 300-run mark. After his dismissal, Wiaan Mulder’s quickfire 64 off 60 balls further pushed South Africa to a solid total.