Kumar Sangakkara Makes History, Australia Qualify and More from Day 23

Australia booked their place in the quarter-finals and New Zealand maintained their perfect record on day 23 of the World Cup.

The Kiwis made it five straight wins in Group A with a comfortable six-wicket triumph over minnows Afghanistan at McLean Park in Napier, New Zealand.

The Afghans managed to recover from 59 for six to reach 186 before they were bowled out. However, that total was never enough to trouble the hosts, who knocked off the runs with 83 balls to spare.

In Sydney, Glenn Maxwell came mightily close to equalling the record for the fastest century in the tournament's history.

He reached his maiden ODI hundred from 51 deliveries, one more than Kevin O'Brien needed against England in 2011. Still, his stunning knock of 102 helped Australia post a massive 376 for nine.

Sri Lanka did all they could to chase down such a monumental total, with Kumar Sangakkara becoming the first man to hit three successive World Cup hundreds, before eventually being bowled out for 312.

Sunday's action was, in truth, a day all about statistics:

Shot of the day

Maxwell managed some ridiculous shots during his hundred, once again demonstrating his impressive ball-striking abilities.

However, despite all the runs scored at the SCG, the award for shot of the day goes instead to a player involved in the game in Napier.

Afghanistan's Najibullah Zadran came in at eight with his side's innings in tatters. His response to the situation was to try to hit them out of trouble.

It worked to a degree; Najibullah hit eight fours and two sixes as he made 56 at a run-a-ball rate.

The pick of his boundaries came against Tim Southee, the seamer being launched onto the roof of the stand at square leg after putting one right in the slot for the left-hander.

To rub salt in the wounds for the bowler, Southee had the same batsman dropped from his very next ball.

Delivery of the day

After a shaky start to his World Cup (he conceded 84 runs in the opening game against New Zealand), Lasith Malinga is starting to look like the bowler we have become accustomed to seeing in ODI cricket.

He picked up two wickets while going for 59 runs against Australia, hardly close to career-best figures but fairly impressive considering the carnage that unfolded.

His two wickets came with deliveries that beautifully demonstrated the bowler’s talent.

Malinga bamboozled Australia opener David Warner with a superb slower ball. The left-hander saw something full and went for a drive, only to realise he had tried to play the shot far, far too early.

In the end, all he did was lob up a simple catch to Seekkuge Prasanna in the covers to depart for nine.

There was no deception with the way Malinga bowled Michael Clarke, the home captain being undone by a thunderbolt yorker that flattened his middle stump.

Catch of the day

Not too many outstanding candidates for the award, but Adam Milne's diving grab for New Zealand was still pretty special.

Fielding at long-on, Milne made good ground to come in and scoop up an opportunity from Hamid Hassan.

The wicket meant the end of the Afghanistan innings and completed a good session in the field for Milne; the seamer had picked up one wicket with the ball during his 10 overs.

The silver medal for best catch goes to Thisara Perera, the Sri Lankan managing to cling on to a skied drive from Steven Smith. He had to retreat backwards outside of the circle before settling underneath the ball.

To complete the podium, Sangakkara deserves the bronze for catching a delivery way down leg from leg-spinner Prasanna that allowed the wicketkeeper to stump Aaron Finch.

Stat of the day

Monday at the World Cup

Only a win will do for England when they go up against Bangladesh at the Adelaide Oval, Australia.

The two nations are seemingly fighting it out for the final qualification spot from Group A, with Bangladesh currently occupying fourth place on five points.

If the Tigers triumph against Eoin Morgan’s men on Monday, they are certain of going through to the knockout stages.

However, an England victory would suddenly make them favourites to reach the quarter-finals. They have Afghanistan left to play in the group, while Bangladesh’s last fixture is against unbeaten New Zealand.