Quinton de Kock’s sensational 174, marking his third century in the World Cup, led South Africa to a resounding 149-run victory over Bangladesh in a thrilling encounter in Mumbai on Tuesday.
The Proteas faced a brief hiccup when they found themselves at 36-2 after winning the toss, but they rebounded emphatically. They managed to accumulate a formidable total of 382-5 in the face of an onslaught of boundaries, amassing 144 runs in the last 10 overs.
Bangladesh never appeared capable of chasing down this target and struggled immensely, collapsing to a dismal 58-5. Their eventual total of 233 was primarily due to Mahmudullah’s impressive century, scored at a run a ball.
However, by the time the 37-year-old Mahmudullah completed his fourth one-day international century in 195 innings, the match had already lost its competitive edge. No other Bangladeshi batsman managed to score more than 22 runs.
South Africa, with the exception of a shocking loss to the Netherlands, have now secured victory in four of their first five World Cup matches. In contrast, Bangladesh is facing an uphill battle to qualify for the semi-finals, having suffered four defeats in five games and currently occupying the last position in the 10-team group.
The early loss of two wickets provided Bangladesh with a glimmer of hope for a fifth win in five ODIs against South Africa. However, the left-handed opener, Quinton de Kock, responded with his third century in five World Cup innings, following his remarkable scores of 100 and 109 against Sri Lanka and Australia. De Kock’s outstanding form continues in what he has declared to be his final major one-day tournament at the age of 30.
Heinrich Klaasen, with a rapid 90, followed up his impressive 109 in South Africa’s 229-run victory over reigning champions England just a few days earlier.
Reflecting on the match, De Kock stated, “I am a bit more tired than satisfied. Everyone did their part, and it is nice to get another two points on the board.”
Klaasen was praised for his exceptional performance, with De Kock remarking, “He has been amazing, I need some of the juice he is having! He has been really special this year, and long may it carry on.”
Bangladesh’s bowling attack, comprising seven bowlers, struggled against the formidable South African batting lineup. Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam both conceded 76 runs from their nine-over spells. Even the fit-again Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan, appearing in his fifth World Cup, could not escape the onslaught, giving up 1-69 in his nine overs.
Shakib mentioned, “I thought we bowled well for the first 25 overs, got three wickets and they were going at five-an-over. Then they kicked on, I thought Quinton de Kock batted really well, and the way Heinrich Klaasen finished it off, we didn’t have any answers to it.”
The South African left-arm quick, Marco Jansen, added to Bangladesh’s woes by taking two wickets in two balls, although Shakib survived the hat-trick. Shakib was ultimately dismissed with just one run to his name, caught brilliantly by wicketkeeper Klaasen, off the debutant Lizaad Williams.
Bangladesh found themselves in dire straits at 31-3 inside eight overs, and they soon plummeted to 58-5. Mahmudullah’s century, characterized by 11 fours and four sixes, delayed the inevitable loss.
In the first innings, South Africa, led by Aiden Markram in the absence of the regular skipper Temba Bavuma, wisely chose to bat first after winning the toss. This decision was not surprising, considering their previous remarkable performance of posting 399-7 after being sent in by England.
South Africa experienced a moment of vulnerability when Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen departed in quick succession. However, Markram played a stylish innings, contributing 60 runs while partnering with De Kock in a third-wicket partnership of 131 before his dismissal, chipping a delivery from Shakib to long-off.
De Kock, undeterred, continued to power through and was on the verge of becoming only the third batsman to score a double century in a World Cup when he miscued a delivery from Hasan Mahmud to deep backward point. His remarkable innings comprised 140 balls, including 15 fours and seven sixes, showcasing a blend of elegant strokeplay and sheer power.
Klaasen’s explosive 49-ball innings, featuring eight sixes, left no room for respite for Bangladesh, although he eventually holed out in the final over of the innings.
