Sachin Tendulkar on Saturday extended his record of highest centuries in World Cup history by smashing his sixth hundred against South Africa in the mega event event in Nagpur.
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India, however, lost the match by three wickets.
India suffered an inexplicable batting collapse, losing nine wickets for a mere 29 runs, to fold up for 296 in 48.4 overs after electing to bat.
The South Africans overcame some anxious moments before rattling up the target with two balls to spare at the VCA Stadium at Jamtha.
Tendulkar had scored the record fifth World Cup hundred against England last month. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly, Australia duo of Ricky Ponting and Mark Waugh have all scored four World Cup hundreds.
Tendulkar scored 111 runs during his 101-ball stay at the crease in India's group-B match against the Proteas. His dazzling knock ended when JP Duminy caught him at point off Morne Morkel.
Saturday's knock was Tendulkar's 48th ODI hundred and is now just one shot of creating a century of international centuries as he also has scored 51 Test hundreds.
Tendulkar also completed 2000 ODI runs against South Africa and incidentally, the legendary batsman had scored the record-breaking 200 against the Proteas in Gwalior in February last year.
South Africa is now fourth team in the world to have conceded 2000 or more runs to Tendulkar. Australia (3005), Pakistan (2389) and Sri Lanka (2965) are the other teams, that have conceded 2000 or more runs to Tendulkar.
Tendulkar, playing his sixth World Cup, also holds the records for most runs and most half-centuries in the flagship event of the ICC.
He has accumulated 2120 runs in 41 matches and has scored 13 fifties so far, followed by Ponting with 1577 runs in 42 matches.
Ganguly is the only other Indian to score 1000 or more runs in World Cup. The former captain made 1006 runs in 21 matches and stands 11th in the list of highest run scorers in World Cup.
