Mumbai: South Africa secured a commanding 149-run victory over Bangladesh in the ICC Men's ODI World Cup.
The match, held at the Wankhede Stadium, witnessed opener Quinton de Kock's extraordinary innings, as he notched up his third century in five matches, a remarkable 174 off 140 balls. Heinrich Klassen also played a pivotal role with a blazing 90 from just 49 deliveries.
This win marks South Africa's fourth triumph in five matches of the tournament, propelling them to the second position in the points table with 8 points, edging out New Zealand based on Net Run Rate. India currently leads the standings with 10 points from five victories.
Opting to bat first, South Africa encountered an early setback at 36/2 in the 8th over. However, de Kock, in partnership with skipper Aiden Markram, who contributed 60, and Klassen, turned the tide in their favor, steering their team to an impressive total of 382/5 in 50 overs.
In the latter part of the innings, de Kock and Klaasen unleashed a relentless onslaught, amassing 144 runs in the last 10 overs. This breathtaking display of power-hitting provided a significant boost to South Africa's innings. David Miller added an unbeaten 34 off 15 balls to further bolster their score.
South Africa's bowlers then took center stage, with Marco Jansen claiming two wickets in successive deliveries and Kagiso Rabada and Lizaad Williams taking one each. This early onslaught left Bangladesh reeling at 42/4, effectively ending their resistance within the first Power-play.
Although senior batter Mahmudullah displayed remarkable resistance with a run-a-ball century, scoring 111, his efforts were ultimately in vain. Bangladesh, having lost wickets early in the innings, was eventually bowled out for 233 in 46.4 overs, succumbing to a resounding 149-run defeat.
Mahmudullah's remarkable century featured 11 boundaries and four sixes, achieved in 104 balls. Despite his spirited performance, Bangladesh's prospects were significantly hindered by the early loss of wickets. They slumped to 81/6 with Mushfiqur Rahim (8), Litton Das (22 off 44 balls), and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (11) falling cheaply.
Mahmudullah did manage to form partnerships, adding 41 runs for the seventh wicket with Nasum Ahmed (18) and creating a half-century partnership for the eighth wicket with Mustafizur Rahman (11). These alliances provided some respectability to Bangladesh's total, despite the eventual defeat.
Gerald Coetzee stood out as the key bowler for South Africa, taking three wickets for 62 runs, while Jansen, Rabada, and Williams contributed with two wickets each.
Quinton de Kock's exceptional innings, his third century in this World Cup, solidified his position as the highest run-scorer in the 2023 tournament, with a total of 407 runs. He also became the first player to score over 400 runs, surpassing Virat Kohli, who has 354 runs from five matches.
De Kock's remarkable performance was complemented by partnerships with Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klassen, which allowed South Africa to recover from a precarious position of 30/2 during the Power-play. He displayed remarkable batting prowess, combining patience and aggression to reach his highest-ever ODI score of 174, which included 15 boundaries and seven sixes.
In the 43rd over, de Kock blazed his way to 150 by smashing 22 runs, and the carnage continued as he added 29 runs in the following over. His innings finally concluded when he was caught at deep backward point, having nearly overtaken his highest-ever ODI score of 178. The crowd gave him a well-deserved ovation as he walked off the field.
Despite de Kock's departure, Klaasen took over the reins, contributing a fiery 90 off 49 balls, with two fours and eight sixes. His explosive performance was reminiscent of his previous match when he scored 109 off 67 balls against England.