Quinton de Kock scored 140-ball 174 powering South Africa to 382 while Bangladesh was never in the chase to reply, Mahmudullah was the only batter who looked at all at ease facing this South Africa attack but all five of South Africa’s bowlers contributed wickets, just like in every previous game of this tournament.
South Africa had won the toss and decided to bat first. Bangladesh managed to contain de Kock and Reeza Hendricks but suffered an early setback when Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen were promptly removed by Shoriful Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz. South Africa was 36 for 2 at the end of the eighth over, and there was no indication that this pitch would be helpful for the run-fest.
However, Aiden Markram and de Kock—possibly the two most effective batsmen in this competition started to gradually eliminate Bangladesh from the game. The ability and appetite of Bangladesh to take wickets declined, and the spinners were milked down the ground.
Given their strength lower on the order, South Africa benefited from the holding pattern, and eventually the boundaries started to flow. In the 21st over, the hundred was reached, and in the 26th over, the 100-partnership. De Kock had nearly reached his hundred by this point, and Markram had brought up a half-century.
Even Markram’s dismissal seemed to help South Africa; he fell when he misplayed an inside-out aerial drive off Shakib. With 20 overs remaining, Klaasen entered the field with plenty of time to settle in before the planned carnage at the death. He also had a solid enough platform in place. A pulled six off Shakib off his fourth ball made it clear what he wanted, and then de Kock scored his third century this World Cup.
By now, the game was being played fully on South Africa’s terms, with them scoring as many runs as they wanted.
South Africa went into sport mode as Klaasen hit a powerful six and a four off Hasan Mahmud, and then de Kock turned it up to eleven in a barrage against the skipper of Bangladesh.
De Kock made his 150 after smashing two fours and two sixes in that Shakib over that went for 22, and South Africa reached 300 with another 17 from the next. They had the perfect guy coming in again in Miller, but De Kock would be denied his second double-hundred, holing out for 174 to a deep backward point.
Bangladesh quickly ran out of ideas, appearing to be going through the motions and looking to end the innings as they were stunned by the barrage of fours and sixes they were getting hit for. With 73 runs scored in the final five overs, Klaasen had made sure the target was well beyond Bangladesh even though he was denied another outstanding hundred.
Bangladesh’s chase never got off the ground. The top-order effort did not suggest a side that had to chase down such an enormous score, and South Africa’s fast bowling straitjacketed them in any way.
The first indication of acceleration came from a couple of boundaries off Lizaad Williams in the sixth over, but it was quickly shut down when Marco Jansen took two wickets in the next over, with Tanzid Hassan and Najmal Shanto both squeezing down leg to the wicketkeeper.
In this competition, Shakib has struggled with scoring runs, and this pattern has continued. He jabbed at Williams’s ball that Klaasen, replacing a strained de Kock, skillfully grasped and left Bangladesh reeling at 31 for 3.
Throughout the tournament, South Africa’s bowlers had shared wickets, and now it was Gerald Coetzee’s turn when Mushfiqur Rahim sliced one straight down the throat of a deep third. Then, as Bangladesh staggered to 81 for 6, Rabada got into the act, trapping Litton Das in front, and Keshav Maharaj removed Mehidy.
If Mahmudullah hadn’t put up such a strong effort, the game may have ended in a historic loss. He wasn’t even selected for Bangladesh’s World Cup team at first, but he was the only batter who looked at all at ease facing this South Africa attack. With the courage to take on Jansen, he gave as well as he got when the man who was a foot taller than him offered him a verbal spray. He was confident with the bat as well.
However, that fightback was just a diversion from a match that South Africa had dominated. After a full, wide ball from Coetzee eventually got Mahmdullah, Williams would deal the final blow as Bangladesh eventually collapsed for 233, sending South Africa to second place on the points table and pushing Bangladesh to the bottom.
Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh Captain:
“I thought we bowled well for 35 overs, took a few wickets and going at five an over. From thereon they kicked on, especially Quinton, he batted really well, and the way Klaasen finished it off. On a ground like this, it can happen like that. Been some talk about Mushfiq and Mahmud batting up the order. The top five who are not scoring need to score more and then we can get more out of them. At the moment India, NZ, and SA are the three teams that look like they can win the title. But anything can happen, a long way to go. A lot to learn and a lot to play for. We want to finish, if not semi-finalists then five or six. We can still do it, I’m hopeful we can come back stronger.”
Aiden Markram, the South Africa Captain:
“Tough to grind it out to the end, but we had to get ten wickets. Still a great day. [Finishing off with ball] Sometimes we find ourselves in two minds, whether to go to death or not. The guys have worked quite hard on their plans. Mahmudullah got in and played very well. We went death and there were some good signs, even if one or two were missed. [Batting] What Quinny did was superb and then Klaasen walks in and smashes it. Everyone approaches it differently but it gels quite nicely. We keep striving to put in big performances. [Chasing a worry] Not necessarily, we had a chat before. It’s just the way things have gone. The more you win batting first the more you lean that way. But once we get one chase under the belt, and the blueprint, then hopefully we’ll be a good team at chasing. [Ngidi] Hopefully he can recover well over the next couple of days and be ready for Pakistan.”
Quinton de Kock is Player of the Match for his 174 off 140:
“I was a bit more tired than satisfied. Great day out, everyone played their part. Nice to get points on the board. [Change of WC fortunes?] Not too sure, first-time inexperience… it’s just happening, I guess. [150th cap] I was a bit nervous this morning, don’t normally get nervous at all. Had a bit of fun, great to get two points. [Klaasen] Been amazing, I need some of the juice he’s having. He’s been special, for every team he’s played for. Taking the tournament by storm.”