South Africa opener Hashim Amla added another feather to his cap by becoming the second-fastest batsman after Virat Kohli to score 8,000 ODI runs. Amla achieved the feat in his 176th inning during South Africa’s clash ongoing World Cup clash with New Zealand at the Edgbaston cricket ground, Birmingham, on Wednesday.
Before the start of the match, the opener needed 24 runs to reach the landmark.
Kohli had taken 175 innings to enter the 8,000 runs club.
The 34-year-old also became the fourth South African batsman after Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers and Herschelle Gibbs to reach the 8,000-run mark in one-day cricket.
Amla’s former teammate de Villiers is the third-fastest to score 8,000 ODI runs getting them in 182 innings. ABD is followed by former India skipper Sourav Ganguly (200 innings) and Rohit Sharma (200 innings).
On Wednesday’s clash, the Black Caps won the toss and opted to field first. Amla scored 55 runs off 88 balls before getting bowled out Mitchell Santner.
South Africa – who started their innings at a slow pace – could manage 241 runs at the loss of 6 wickets in their quota of 49 overs (overs reduced due to wet outfield). Rassie van der Dussen with his 67 not out top-scored for the Proteas whereas, for the Kiwis, Lockie Ferguson was the star with the ball with figures of 3 for 59.