(Cricket News) South Africa won their fourth match in their World Cup campaign in a dominant fashion, posting a 300+ total in the first innings and getting the opposition all out below 200. This has been their strategy so far in the World Cup, and it continues to work. Their scores batting first in this World Cup are 426, 311, 399, and 328. It’ll be interesting to see how they do while chasing and whether they will follow the same aggressive approach in the second innings.
South Africa won the toss, and they decided to bat first. South Africa looked in trouble as they lost two early wickets. At the end of the first powerplay, the proteas were 44-2. After settling down for 3 overs, Aiden Markram and Quinton De Kock decided to tee off by counter-attacking with frequent boundaries and constantly rotating strike. Aiden Markram scored a handy 60 of 69 deliveries, and Quinton De Kock scored a mammoth 174 of just 140 deliveries. He scored his third century in this World Cup and registered the highest score by a wicketkeeper-batsman in an ODI World Cup. Heinrich Klassen played his natural game at the death, scoring a quickfire 90 of just 49 deliveries.
End of first innings: South Africa 382-5; Quinton De Kock: 174 (140); Heinrich Klaasen: 90 (49); Hasan Mahmud: 6-0-67-2; Mehidy Hasan Miraz: 9-44-0-1.
Due to the mountain of a target set by South Africa, the Bangladesh batsmen were under pressure from ball one. They kept playing aggressively and hitting the ball in the air, only for it to fall in the hands of the South African fielders. The only positive from Bangladesh’s innings was Mahmudullah, who scored his third century in an ODI World Cup, scoring 111 in 111 deliveries.
Bangladesh lost by 149 runs, which dented their net run rate and has pushed them to the bottom of the table.
End of second innings: Bangladesh 233-10; Mahmudullah 111 (111); Litton Das 22 (44); Gerald Coetzee 10-62-0-2; Kagiso Rabada 10-42-1-2.
