Ireland vs South Africa: Simi Singh Scripts World Record; Becomes First Player to Score ODI Ton at No. 8

The just-concluded three-match ODI series between Ireland and South Africa was full of surprises. After the ODI tournament opener was washed out as rain played spoilsport, Ireland skipper Andy Balbirnie scored a gritty century as the Irish team stunned South Africa by 43 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the second game of the series. However, South Africa fought back in the last match of the series to level the tournament 1-1. Even though Ireland lost the lead and had to share the trophy with the rainbow nation after losing the final ODI, Irish cricketer Simi Singh scripted a world record in the match.

Simi, who was born in Punjab (India), on Friday scored an unbeaten hundred while batting at number eight position and in the process became the first ever player to do so.Simi walked to bat at number eight after the departure of Lorcan Tucker, who was dismissed by Andile Phehlukwayo, at the individual score of one run.

Ireland were left reeling at 92 for six when Simi took charge of the home team’s innings while chasing a mammoth total of 347 runs to win.Simi looked in great touch as he scored an unbeaten 100 runs off 91 balls, in front of a potent South African bowling attack consisting of Anrich Nortje, Keshav Maharaj, Andile Phehlukwayo andTabraiz Shamsi.

Simi’s knock was laced with 14 boundaries. However, despite his fightback knock, Ireland lost the match by 70 as the spin bowling all-rounder got little help from the other end.Other than Curtis Campher, who scored 54 runs off 54 balls, no other Irish cricketer was able to cross the mark of 30 runs as Ireland were bowled out at 276/10 in 47.1 overs.

Before Simi’s unbeaten 100, the highest score while batting at number eight was held by Kenya's Thomas Odoyo. He has scored 84 runs while batting at number eight in an ODI in 2006 against Bangladesh.

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