De Kock 174 helps South Africa outclass Tigers to rise to second in the table

Mahmudullah smashes his third World Cup century but Tigers fall short by a huge margin

A majestic 174-run knock from Quinton de Kock helped South Africa consign Bangladesh to a tame 149-run defeat and climb to the second place of the table behind India in the ODI Cricket World tie in Mumbai.

Choosing to bat first, South Africa posted a massive 382 for 5 riding on De Kock’s third ton of the tournament, Heinrich Klassen’s 49-ball 90 and Aiden Markram’s 60 at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday.

In reply, the Tigers stuttered in their chase from the start and kept losing wickets with only Mahmudullah (111) showing grit with his third ODI World Cup century after Bangladesh were five down for only 58. The 37-year-old batter smashed 11 fours and 4 sixes in a scintillating 110-ball show.

But other than that Litton Das (22 off 44 balls), Shakib Al Hasan (1), Najmul Hossain Shanto (0) or Mushfiqur Rahman (8) failed to provide any impetus to the chase as the chase fizzled out on 233 all out.

For South Africa, Gerald Coetzee bagged three wickets while Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada picked up two wickets apiece..

Earlier,, the Tigers snared the wickets of Reeza Hendricks (12) and Rassie van der Dussen (1) in quick succession to reduce the Proteas to 36 for 2 in the eighth over at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday

But De Kock then dug deep with Markram (60) and stitched 131-run for the third wicket to leave Bangladesh in desperate search of a breakthrough.

De Kock negotiated with the seamers as well as the spinners very well, picking up runs all-round the wicket and lacing his 140-ball knock with 15 boundaries and 7 sixes.

Shakib Al Hasan (1-69) broke the stand as Markram, who stood in as captain in the place of Temba Bavuma, miscued to hole out at mid-off but respite was still far off as Klassen walked in at No. 5. De Kock and Klassen blasted their way through the bowling and paired in a 142-run stand off only 87 deliveries.

The bowlers were in disarray and kept leaking runs to the Proteas onslaught as South Africa crossed the 300-run mark in the 44th over. Shakib then brought on seamer Hasan Mahmud (2-67) into the attack and was rewarded with the valuable wicket of a tired De Kock, but the runs continued to flow.

Klassen was on song as he bludgeoned Mahmud for a six the same over and, later, Mustafizur for two sixes and a boundary in the 47th over. David Miller (34 off 15 balls) then joined the party by lifting Mahmud over the long off boundary for another six.

Before Klassen holed out at the extra cover ropes in the final over, he had already struck eight sixes and two boundaries off 49 deliveries.

Bangladesh are yet to win a match since their victory over Afghanistan in their opening tie of the tournament.